Human
by Start-meltdown
Summary: Widowmaker's conditioning has broken down, allowing her old memories to come flooding back. With both Talon and Overwatch racing to find her, Widow, with the memories of her old life, must rediscover who she is in a battle that could change the entire war between Overwatch and Talon. Widow knew one thing however. In the end, she was only human.
1. Prologue

_Hi everyone_

 _So thought I'd do a little house keeping first. This story is set 6 months after my other story, Everything Changes. If you haven't read that, then I'd recommend you do so, as it's only short and it explains the events that happen before this story._

 _Now on with the show._

 **Prologue**

Talon outpost- location unknown.

The forestry moved slightly as a light breeze blew across the area. Birds went about their business and the sky was clear of clouds. It took a well trained eye, or someone looking for it, in order for the outpost to be found. It was hidden well, most of it underground while a small section of a metal building could be located amongst the trees.

The outpost was one of Talon's main facilities for holding prisoners, aimed at extracting information from them. Recently however, Moira had commandeered the base, using it for her experiments and the prisoners as her unfortunate lab rats.

That was until last night. Now the facility lay broken, the lights flickering and darkening the outpost. An entire underground section was left consumed by smoke as a fire raged near the main generator. The main entrance was forced open and dead Talon soldiers and scientists were scattered all around the base.

Reaper walked alone through the damaged outpost, the lights flickering as he advanced towards the control centre. Moira wasn't at the outpost at the time, so no one knew what had occurred to cause the outpost to go silent. Therefore, Talon had deployed Reaper to find out exactly what had happened.

That wasn't the only reason Reaper was here however. Both Sombra and Widowmaker were stationed at this outpost and both had failed to check in after the base fell silent. While Widow had been deployed a few days earlier, she should of returned by now. No one questioned it when Doomfist ordered Reaper to personally investigate. Two of their best agents were currently MIA and they had no intel on the current situation. Reaper was an obvious choice.

As Reaper reached his destination, he groaned in annoyance. The doors were heavily damaged and stuck half open. With so little power, any ordinary person trying to enter the command centre would have to force the heavy doors open. Fortunately, Reaper was no ordinary man. Black smoke formed around him as he flew though the gap in the door, reappearing inside the command centre.

The place was a mess. The base commander lay dead across the main console, while several other troopers lay around the command centre. Reaper approached the main terminal, grabbing the dead commander and pulling him up, before letting his body fall to the ground. By some miracle the console was still working, so Reaper began typing away to find the status report on the base. It took him a few moments to enter the password, kindly provided by Moira, before he opened up the report.

 _Emergency protocol in effect._

 _Emergency power online._

 _Emergency lockdown in effect._

"That didn't achieve much." Reaper said aloud as he continued reading.

 _Alert- Catastrophic system failure, generator malfunction. Manual restart required._

 _All prisoners detected outside of cells, all security forces to the detention level._

 _VIP prisoners 1 and 2 are detected outside of cell, security to the high security wing._

 _Alert- armoury breached, security are advised to fire at any armed_ _prisoners._

Reaper closed down the console, conserving what little power the base had left. It was clear now what had happened. The prisoners had escaped, got into the armoury and shot the place up, killing anyone who was in the way. Yet, how did they manage to escape in the first place? Reaper had his suspicions but he didn't jump to any conclusions yet.

At least he had half the story now, yet this didn't bring him any closer to finding Sombra or Widow. He guessed that Sombra had set up a terminal out of the way, something she did at every base she was stationed at, so he began to search for it. After five minutes of looking in every room he came across, he found her terminal, the purple glow giving it away in the darkened base.

He now typed in the code Sombra gave him a while ago, allowing him access to her terminals if she had to abandon them. Sure enough, the terminal activated and he was given access to the desktop. Yet there was only one folder present. Clearly Sombra had wiped the terminal and this folder was a message. Upon opening the folder, Reaper was greeted with two documents and one video.

One document was titled "Message to Gabe" which he guessed was from Sombra, since she called him that frequently. The other document was titled "password" while the video was titled "Urgent to Reaper."

He decided to open the "Message to Gabe" document first, yet when he did, he froze still and stared at the text on the screen.

 _Code 14._

 _Don't try and cover it up, it's too late._

 _Sombra_.

Reaper and Sombra had a set of codes for when they wanted to tell each other something, usually when they didn't want Talon to know but there was a high risk they would find out about it. He thought that a code 3 was the issue here, an inside man working for Overwatch. Even a code 8 was possible, Sombra and Widow being captured by Overwatch. However, a code 14 was much, much worse.

"I go out for three days and this happens." Reaper spoke to himself, clearly troubled by this development. He now attempted to open the video, only for a password prompt to appear. He attempted Sombra's code again, yet this was not correct. He quickly realised the purpose of the third file, opening it and reading through the instructions.

 _Gabriel_

 _The password for the video is something Talon took from me many years ago._

Reaper stood confused for a moment. "Took from you? What did Talon take from you Sombra?"

It was then Reaper realised. She called him Gabriel. Sombra would have called him Gabe. This was Widowmaker. He realised what the password was.

 _Gerard_

Upon typing in his name, the video loaded, showing the face of Widowmaker on the screen. He did a check to make sure no one was around, more out of habit due to the state of the base, before playing the clip.

Widow sat for a few moments, clearly struggling to find the words. Reaper even checked that the video was playing, before she finally spoke.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way... but I feel like I have no other choice now. Sombra said that you knew what was happening to me, you trusted her after she accessed my medical history." Widow chuckled to herself before continuing.

"I'm pretty sure you know what this is about. My conditioning is breaking down, has been for many months now. Sombra explained it to me. It's like a dam, my old memories were held back on one side, while my current memories were left on the other. This dam has cracks now, allowing older memories to leak through. These cracks are getting larger every day, soon I'll remember everything. Hell, I don't know why I'm telling you this. You probably already know exactly what's happening to me."

Reaper didn't know. He knew Widow's conditioning would break down but he didn't know exactly how it would happen or when. Sombra had told him it was progressing but never told him it was at this stage. Sombra knew more than him at this point and this concerned him.

Widow paused for a short while, taking a large breath before continuing.

"I don't want to forget again. I won't forget again. Talon have taken so much from me. My life, my personality... Gerard... I will not let that happen again, not to me or anyone else. Once I remember, they will pay! I swear on it!"

"Goodbye Gabe... and thank you."

The recording ended, leaving Reaper speechless. He swore he saw a tear at one point falling down her cheek. He placed a hand on his mask, resting his head on it as he thought for a few moments. He thought back to Sombra's message.

Don't try and cover it up, it's too late.

Did the troops here realise and try and stop her? That would explain the bases condition, yet where was Sombra. He hoped that Widow hadn't killed her while she was escaping, something he was sure she could do if she needed to. Then again, why did Sombra leave a message if that was the case and where was her body? Clearly something bigger was going on and the answers he wanted were not here.

He decided to follow Sombra's orders, something he never thought he'd be doing. Reaper now deleted the files on Sombra's terminal, leaving no evidence. Talon would find out soon enough what had happened here, even if he didn't fully know himself. He could at least give them a little more time. Reaper now walked back to the entrance, stepping outside of the crippled base and contacted Doomfist.

"Report, what's the situation down there?" Doomfist asked.

Reaper looked back at the base, wondering once again what had happened behind those doors. He knew that everything was about to change, the war between Talon and Overwatch hung in the balance. He turned away as he replied.

"We have a problem."


	2. It Begins

**It Begins**

King's Row- seven days earlier

It was 10:30 and King's Row was unbearably quiet. Lights in buildings were left on and a few vehicles were dotted around the area, abandoned. An evacuation order was in place and the district cordoned off after Reaper was spotted prowling the area. Where Reaper was meant Talon weren't far behind. Therefore, Overwatch responded, sending out its own team to confront the Talon forces.

Kings Row had been the centre of a couple of battles recently, as well as Mondatta's assassination. This was something that the British government was no longer going to tolerate. Unknown to Overwatch or Talon, the government were preparing their response to the current situation.

The Overwatch force was comprised of six agents. Winston, who had decided to personally lead the team, along with Tracer, Mercy, McCree, Reinhardt and Torbjorn. The team had assembled near the clock tower, knowing Talon had stored something nearby. Winston had received a tip off about the attack and although a bit vague, he knew Talon had to come through here first.

"Any sign of trouble?" Winston asked Tracer, who was stood on the hotel balcony, watching the nearby church, where they suspected Talon was currently based.

"Nothing." Tracer replied, her cheerful manner not present in her reply.

"Are you okay Lena?" Mercy asked, noticing Tracer's lack of cheer. "You don't seem quite yourself."

Lena sighed. "Honestly, I'm worried Ang."

"About Emily?"

"No. Well yes I'm always worried about her..." Lena looked over to the Mondatta statue, a constant reminder of her failure to protect him. "This is my home Ang and it's been hit a lot recently. I don't know how much more London can take before something snaps."

Mercy wasn't given a chance to reply, as Tracer looked back towards the church, the doors opened.

"Heads up, Talon's inbound!" Tracer blinked over the nearby wall and moved into position, while Reinhardt raised his barrier, sealing up the gap between the wall.

A few seconds later, Reaper appeared, a number of Talon soldiers following close by. They opened fire on the barrier, it absorbing the damage as they pushed forward. Torbjorn placed a turret behind Reinhardt's barrier, assisting it by firing into the approaching enemy forces. Tracer blinked forward, attacking the troopers as well as Reaper, who all struggled to keep up with her as she blinked circles around them. Eventually, once she used her recall, she blinked back through the barrier, letting Mercy heal her back up.

The fight had only been a few minutes long and Reaper was already frustrated. With a chuck of Talon's initial force down, he turned into black smoke, flying over the wall and landing next to Reinhardt. As he appeared, he fired a number of rounds into the German's armour, causing a high amount of damage. Rein now dropped his barrier, forced to attack the intruder as Mercy kept her healing beam on him. This was exactly what Reaper wanted, turning back into wraith form and moving back behind the wall.

This move had given the Talon troops the chance to advance, some flanking through the hotel and getting behind the defensive line, forcing Overwatch back towards the clock tower. Reinhardt raised his barrier up once again, giving Torb the chance to place a new turret. McCree and Mercy were also behind the barrier, McCree being damaged boosted as he fired into the incoming forces.

Meanwhile, Winston and Tracer were diving into the middle of the enemy force, the two of them taking out a small number of them before Reaper began to spin up for a death blossom. Tracer quickly jumped into one of Winston's hands, before he jumped back to the team, avoiding the barrage of firepower and letting Mercy heal them up.

Thanks to Tracer and Winston, Talon's force was down to 3 troopers and Reaper. Fortunately, he planned for just a situation. After all, the troops tended to be all but ineffective against the Overwatch agents. Once the two agents jumped away, he contacted the church.

"Squad two, attack!"

Within seconds, a second wave of Talon troopers reinforced the depleted force. They moved forward, their numbers enhancing the troopers confidence. Reinhardt saw his opportunity, the troopers were close together and he knew exactly what would end this fight.

"HAMMER, AHH!"

Reinhardt flinched in pain, raising his barrier back up and dropping his hammer to clutch his side. A very well aimed sniper round had gone straight into him, hitting a weak point in his armour. A few seconds later another shot landed on the barrier, adding to the firepower that was being absorbed by the it. Mercy now focused her healing beam on him, while McCree moved next to Rein, taking shots at the incoming troopers.

"You good?" McCree asked Reinhardt, who was still clutching his side.

"Yeah. Her aim is getting better." Reinhardt said, knowing exactly who had taken the shot.

"Getting better? It's Widowmaker, she's the best sniper there is." McCree replied.

"Second best." Reinhardt corrected, picking his hammer back up and nodding to Mercy as thanks.

"If only she was here, maybe Widow would have a run for her money." The cowboy grumbled as the cracks on Rein's barrier became very apparent. The agents took cover wherever they could as the barrier broke, a shot hitting Reinhardt once again and wounding him. Winston placed down his barrier, giving them a short relief. Expecting another shot to hit one of them, Mercy moved away from the fight, powering up her resurrection tech. However, when the second sniper shot rang out, it never hit anywhere near them.

Tracer looked to the rooftops, seeing another sniper engaging Widow. It was like fate that she appeared just at the right moment.

"Hey McCree!" Tracer called out. "Seems like someone heard you!" She said pointing up to the rooftop. Sure enough, there she was, Ana Amari, dodging shots from Widow while returning her own. Widow could be seen carefully aiming but seemingly unable to land her shot. After taking a couple of hits herself, Widow was forced back, giving Ana a small window of opportunity.

Ana grabbed one of her biotic grenades, throwing it down at Reinhardt before firing shots into all the agents. Reinhardt reactivated his barrier, its power returning to maximum as the Talon forces reached them. Ana fired a few shots at the incoming targets, before disengaging and running towards Widow's last know location.

"Where's she going?" Torb asked, slightly annoyed their sniper support had just left them.

"She's keeping Widow busy. Focus on these lot." Tracer answered, blinking forward and firing a magazine, then recalling back behind the barrier.

While the Talon grunts kept Overwatch busy, Reaper had managed to sneak away from the battle, teleporting to higher ground behind their position without anyone noticing.

McCree moved towards a flanking point, some Talon troops moving through the opposite building in an attempt to get behind them. He rolled into their path, firing three shots and taking all three troops down. As he looked back towards the team, he noticed Reaper preparing to jump down.

"WATCH OUT!" McCree shouted, gaining everyone's attention.

Tracer looked up and saw Reaper as he jumped, his intention clear. "MOVE!"

Tracer sprinted towards McCree, blinking out of the way as Reaper landed. Winston managed to jump away and Mercy activated her Valkyrie suit, flying away just in time.

"DIE! DIE! DIE!" Both Torb And Reinhardt we're unable to get away in time, Winston's depleted barrier offering little protection as they were cut down by Reaper.

Reaper began to laugh, turning towards the other three agents on the ground. However, his victims didn't remain down for long, as Mercy swooped in and resurrected both fallen agents.

"Fall back to position two!" Mercy shouted as she flew away from the area, Tracer and Winston following.

Reinhardt immediately activated his barrier, taking the shots from Reaper as him and Torb retreated. McCree ran forward, rolling once he was close enough and threw a flashbang. Reaper was left blinded for a moment, giving the three of them enough time to get out of range. While annoying, Reaper allowed them to escape, turning to see the Talon troops securing the area.

Reaper now knew that they would need a little more firepower to break Overwatch's defensive line. He once again contacted the church.

"Team three, move in to reinforce." There was no answer. "Squad three report." Again no answer. "Widowmaker, do you have eyes on squad three?"

Widow meanwhile was pinned down, the remains of a small health kit Talon provided discarded as she fired her SMG. "I'm a little busy at the moment!"

"What? With who?" Reaper asked, amazed someone was causing Widow trouble.

"Amari!" Widow replied sharply, before running out of cover and jumping to another rooftop, missing a couple of shots from Ana as she moved.

Reaper now groaned. "Where there's one, the other won't be far away."

"Where's team three sir?" One of the Talon troopers asked, clearly not following what was happening.

"Dead. We're all that's left, so try not to die." Reaper replied sarcastically, clearly annoyed with the situation. "Get that thing ready to move and get it to the target location."

Meanwhile, Widow had taken cover behind a rooftop access, reloading her weapon as she scanned the area in front of her. The plan to provide cover fire had gone to hell since Ana showed up. "Of all the people..." she thought to herself as she turned around to face the wall and activated her thermal vision. To her annoyance she could not see Ana anywhere. Widow moved around her cover to the roof access door, staying close as she looked around for her target. As Widow looked to her right, she saw Ana running straight at her, rifle over her back and her fists raised.

Widow had no time to react, taking a direct hit to her head, causing damage to her thermal goggles, a large crack now obscuring her right eye. Widow deactivated the damaged goggles, clutching the side of her head as she recovered from the hit. A sharp pain went through her head, feeling like something was clawing away under her skin. The pain passed as quickly as it appeared, leaving Widow wondering what exacty it was.

She had little time to dwell on her thoughts, as she set her sights on the target in front of her. Ana had reached for her dart gun, firing a sleep dart straight at her. Widow dodged out of the way, running towards Ana and tackling her, the two women impacting the door behind them. The door was obviously in poor condition, as the impact forced it open and sent the two women falling down the small set of stairs.

The stairs lead down to a small section of flat concrete, acting as a short walkway before another set of stairs, attached to the side of the walls of a small square structure, leading down to the top floor of an apartment building. Between the stairs was a gap wide enough for a person to fall through.

As the two of them reached the bottom of the first set of stairs, Ana once again reached for her dart gun and loaded a sleep dart, taking aim. Widow saw this, jumping back to her feet, rifle in hand and jumped over the metal railings, falling in between the stairs and landing at the door to the top floor. She moved quickly to the door, trying it and finding out that it was locked. She fired her rifle into the lock, swung the door open and sprinted inside the building.

Ana, still standing at the top of the stairs, now began to run down them, grabbing her rifle from her back and jumping over the railings near the bottom. Once she reached the door, she grabbed the handle, pulling the door open and aimed inside, looking both ways and seeing no sign of Widow. She now moved inside, moving quickly to find her target, determined not to let her escape this time.

Meanwhile, back on the streets, Talon had secured their payload and were moving it forward through the district. They weren't able to move it far however, as Overwatch stood in their way, ready to fight. With two teams deployed and the third not responding, the attackers were being very cautious. They were down to 20, the size of a single team. Reaper was leading the charge, keeping the pressure on Overwatch while keeping himself behind the payload, denying the defenders a clear shot at him.

The payload was pushed through the archway, Reaper moving to the left and entering a open building. Using this building, he managed to get closer to the Overwatch team, running out and firing his shotguns behind it. Due to his distance, Reaper was unable to cause any serious damage, Reinhardt adjusting his barrier to block Reaper's shots. What this did manage however was to give the Talon troops room to push forward, since Overwatch was distracted with Reaper. However, as four of the troops moved up, they were immediately cut down, a mixture of Torb's turret and McCree's revolver halting their momentum. No matter what they did, they could not push forward any further.

Reaper noticed the troopers fall back slightly, groaning in frustration as he wraithed and moved back behind the archway. They were down to 16, no way could they win this now. Hell, Talon's troops tended to be all but useless against Overwatch at this point. He always seemed to be paired with the idiots Talon had in its ranks. These troops were falling way too fast and Overwatch were still at full strength. Fortunately, Reaper had planned for such an eventuality.

"Payloads going nowhere. Go to plan B!" He ordered the remaining troopers. No one argued, splitting up into smaller teams of three and moving away from the fight, one squad following Reaper. One trooper decided to avenge his fallen comrades, moving forward again, taking cover behind the payload before running into same building Reaper entered a few moments ago.

Reinhardt now lowered his barrier, seeing the Talon force retreat and turned to everyone else.

"Talon's up to something." He stated. "Reaper never just retreats like that."

Winston nodded. "Agreed..."

Before Winston could say another word, the Talon grunt primed a grenade and ran out of the building, sprinting towards the Overwatch team. However, Torb's turret quickly turned towards him and with no other targets present, killed him in seconds. As the grenade dropped, Rein raised his barrier, stopping it doing any harm to the team.

"Well, that achieved a lot." Torb said sarcastically, clearly amused with the desperate attempt to kill them.

Winston now continued. "Tracer, McCree, search the area and take down those remaining troopers. Mercy keep them covered. Rein, Torb, head back to the dropship and get it ready to leave." Torb responded by picking up his turret, not leaving it behind.

"What about you?" McCree asked, reloading his revolver after the last fight.

"I'm going to the church, see what intel Talon has lying around." Winston replied, gaining another short nod from McCree. The team now split up, Winston, Rein and Torb rushing off, while Tracer and McCree moved out slowly, checking corners for any sign of Talon. Mercy decided to follow McCree, knowing Tracer had a better idea of the area than him.

As the Overwatch team split up, Reaper had moved back towards the clock tower. The original plan was to cause as much damage to the area as possible. The payload was only one way to achieve this goal. As he approached the hotel, he turned to the three troopers following him.

"Head back to the dropship and prepare it for launch. Make sure it stays in one piece." The three troopers nodded, running off and leaving Reaper alone.

Reaper now began to move towards the hotel, intent on placing explosives on the top floor and detonating them once they were clear. However, in the corner of his eye, he was certain he saw something move. He checked behind him, before turning back and looking around the area. He moved on, cautious in case an Overwatch agent was planning to jump him. "Most likely Tracer." He thought to himself. He was unable to move less than three steps before something rolled into his path.

Reaper realised far too late what it was, as he was left blinded by it detonating.

At this point, Winston had arrived outside the church, keeping his weapon ready for any Talon forces. Once he stepped inside though, he was pleasantly surprised with the scene that greeted him. Talon soldiers lay dead around the room and at the back of the church stood one man, busy staring at a computer screen and typing on the attached keyboard. A pulse rifle was leaning against the wall and he was wearing a jacket with a large 76 on the back. Without turning around, he spoke up.

"Winston."

"Morrison."

Morrison turned around, facing Winston. "Nice work with Talon. Guess that tip I gave you payed off."

"So it was you." Winston said, walking over to the console. "How did you know Talon was going to hit here?"

"Me and Ana were watching a Talon facility we found about a week ago. They were gearing up for something but we didn't know what. I managed to sneak in and find out about a plan to attack here. I considered you were in the best position to stop them so... here we are." Morrison explained.

"So, why didn't you help?" Winston asked, analysing the console Morrison was standing next to.

"I was busy extracting intel from this thing. Turns out Talon's moving something out of the UK soon. It looks like this attack was a distraction for something, though the info on this terminal's encrypted, so I don't know what."

"Mind if I have a copy?" Winston asked, pointing towards the console. Morrison responded by handing him a small memory stick, pulling out another one from his jacket and plugging it into the computer.

"I'm surprised you didn't make a copy when you cleared out this place." Morrison said, copying the contents of the hard drive for a second time.

Winston looked at him, confused. "What do you mean? I thought you did this."

Morrison turned to Winston, now slightly on edge. "Well if you didn't do this and I didn't... who did?" He quickly turned back around, looking on the computer and finding some camera footage of the church.

Meanwhile, Tracer was busy checking the area near the local pub. She had almost finished and was about to move on, when she saw three Talon soldiers enter the pub. She quickly blinked up to the door, seeing two of the troops setting charges while the third ran upstairs, towards the back entrance. She readied her pulse pistols and blinked inside, firing at one trooper before he could react. The second manage to raise his weapon but was unable to use it, as Tracer blinked behind him and fired her guns.

As the second trooper fell, Tracer heard a shot from upstairs, followed by a short cry of pain. She guessed the the remaining trooper had found a civilian and shot him. Without hesitation, she blinked up the stairs, hoping that the civilian wasn't dead. However, upon her second blink, she came face to face with the barrel of a shotgun. The owner was wearing a black military uniform and his face was obscured by a gas mask. To his left was the Talon trooper, shot dead.

They stood there, analysing each other for a few moments. Lena honestly was a little scared, thinking that the unknown soldier in front of her was looking straight into her soul. After a few seconds, the soldier activated his radio.

"Pub's clear." With that, he gave Tracer a two finger salute, before turning and running out the door. As he turned, Lena managed to see two items printed onto his uniform. The first was the British flag. The second was three words.

Who dares wins.

Back in the church, Winston and Morrison were analysing the security footage. They watched as a team of six soldiers entered the church, threw in a few flashbangs, before storming in and killing all but three of Talon soldiers. They surrounded these three, forcing them to surrender.

"You know, for an international terrorist organisation, Talon don't have the brightest troops." Winston said, seeing nobody keeping an eye on the cameras.

"I think they pair the idiots with Reaper on purpose. Would explain why he's so angry all the time." Morrison joked, as he paused the security footage on one of the unknown soldiers, zooming in on him. Before he could comment though, Tracer contacted Winston.

"Winston, we need to get out of here now!" She said, rather sternly and quite out of character.

"Hold on Lena. There's unknown soldiers in the area, that might be a little risky." Winston replied, as Morrison tried to zoom the image in to identify the soldiers aleigence.

"That's the reason why!" Tracer answered back, her tone still very serious. "They're not just soldiers, they're the bloody SAS!"

Both Winston and Morrison looked at each other, just as the second copy of the intel completed.

"We need to leave." Morrison stated plainly.

"Agreed. Everyone, get to the dropship now!"

"Why are the SAS of all people here?" McCree asked, shocked that he was walking around with special forces prowling the streets. Torbjorn was the one who provided the answer.

"How long did you think it would take before someone reacted to Talons attacks? This is the British sending a message."

Morrison now pulled the second memory stick out from the computer, before contacting Ana.

"Ana, we need to go, UK special forces are here."

Ana was too occupied to answer properly, busy engaging Widowmaker in hand to hand combat. When she could, she simply clicked her earpiece, signaling that she understood.

Widow's rifle was thrown to the side of the corridor, while Ana's remained on her back, as they each tried to gain the upper hand over the other. Each woman managed to block the others punches, Widow attempting to kick Ana at on point, only for Ana to catch it, almost causing her to fall over. Eventually, Ana managed to out manoeuvre Widow, landing a large punch to Widow's head, causing her to lose balance just enough that Ana could grab her, slamming her head into a nearby doorframe. It was a heavy impact, that finally caused some damage to Widowmaker, though not physical damage.

Widow recoiled in pain, grabbing her rifle as she fell to the floor and aimed at Ana. She reacted by running down the corridor, taking cover as it turned to the left. Widow, now suffering from extreme pain pounding away in her head, crawled around the corner at the other side of the corridor, placing a venom mine as she leaned against the wall. She clutched her head, wiping away a small amount of blood from a cut, as she sat, the pain now unbearable.

"What is this?" She said quietly as she winced in pain, almost crying out as it worsened. Images were flashing before her eyes, too quickly to make any sense of them. The only thing she could make out was that one was a man, though she couldn't see who. Something had snapped and she knew it. As the pain somehow worsened again, she started to see images of herself, holding hands and laughing with that man.

"Gerard was a fool to ever love you!" Ana's statement cut straight through her pain, like a knife through butter and caused an almost automatic response from her.

"You don't know anything about him!" She almost screamed it out as the pain suddenly stopped, the images went and she returned to normal. She touched her head and realised it was damp with sweat. She wasn't even aware that she could sweat, her body too cold for it to occur naturally.

Widow suddenly realised what those visions were. They were memories of her old life... Amelie's life. Memories she should never have been able to see. That man must of be Gerard, there was no one else that could cause such a response. No one else that could cause so much pain. Her hands were shaking, her Vision was blurry, her body felt weak and at this point, the wall was the only thing holding her up.

"How? What's happening to me?" Widow asked herself, placing two fingers between her eyes and rubbing them to regain her vision. She breathed slowly, blinking a few times and checking the venom mine was still active.

Ana realised that something had happened. The cold, ruthless assassin just spoke to her with pure emotion. That was something Widowmaker could never do. She knew that she had to tread carefully.

"I know more than you think Widow."

Widow now stood up, using her rifle as a support for a moment and gained her breath as she slowly walked around the corner, during which Reaper contacted her.

"Widow, mission is scrubbed, I have your location, get to the roof now! Extraction in two minutes!" Reaper had escaped a SAS ambush and with so few troops left, he knew they had to leave now. Thankfully, Widow's thermal goggles had a tracker in them, just in case she was captured.

Widow wasn't quite finished however, walking towards Ana as she stepped out.

"Tell me, what do you think you know?" She asked, her composure finally restored and her body now acting normal again.

"I know that your still in there, somewhere, Amelie."

Widow scoffed. "Amelie is dead. Nothing you say will change that."

"Are you sure about that?" Ana's words hit her hard. Truth was, Widow wasn't sure. Not anymore, especially after what had just happened.

Before Widow could reply, she heard her venom mine detonate. She walked to the corner and prepared to fire at the coughing fool. However, instead she was greeted with a soldier in a gas mask, aiming his weapon straight at her.

Widow quickly fired her SMG, hitting the soldier but not stopping him, he fired back, missing Widow by inches as she ran forward. At this point Ana had vanished, somehow managing to hide herself inside one of the apartments. Widow ran to the roof access, sprinting up the stairs, the soldier she shot a mere few seconds behind her. He grabbed the railings, swinging himself up the stairs, two more SAS troopers behind him.

Widow was far quicker than the soldiers, reaching the top of the stairs and running back through the damaged door, not bothering attempting to close it. She ran to the edge of the roof, looking to the left and seeing the Talon dropship heading in her direction. She readied her grappling hook and fired once the dropship was close enough, anticipating its speed perfectly and grappling inside.

The soldiers behind her reached the roof just as she grappled away, firing at the dropship as it sped away. The three soldiers were breathing heavily.

"Bloody hell, she can move." The one said, amazed at how fast Widow could run.

On board the Talon dropship, Widow walked over to the back of the ship, leaning against the wall and sliding down it, sitting on the floor. She left her rifle leaning against the same wall as she tried to make sense of what she saw. Reaper walked over, intending to speak with her.

"This mission went to hell a little too quickly." Widow simply nodded slowly, not bothered about how the mission went right now.

"You okay?" Reaper asked, seeing something wasn't quite right with her.

"I'm fine." Widow simply replied. Reaper didn't say anything else, walking back to the front of the dropship. Widow simply stayed where she was, placing her head in one of her hands. She needed to talk to someone and only one person would understand.

Overwatch dropship- 10 minutes later

The Overwatch team all sat doing their own things. Torb was busy reading a book he started on the journey out. Reinhardt and McCree sat at the table, drinking. Mercy and Tracer were sat close by, talking among themselves, while Winston was facing a large screen, trying to decrypt the intel he had from the Talon computer.

Morrison and Ana had managed to slip away unnoticed, Winston losing contact once they left King's Row. Despite how difficult it would be for them to get away unnoticed, Winston guessed the two of them would be alright. After all, both of them had been ghosts for years.

"I've told you to be more careful Lena. You're lucky he didn't fire." Angela said, Lena telling her everything about the soldier she came face to face with.

"I know and I'm sorry... after that encounter I'm probably going to take your advice." Lena replied, still slightly shaken from staring down the barrel of a shotgun. "I don't think he was going to fire though... he had every opportunity to do so and once he lowered his gun he gave me a salute. He knew who I was."

"To be honest, it's not that difficult to recognise any of us when we're in uniform." McCree chipped in. "But Angela does have a point. You do run in to situations a little too quickly sometimes."

"Your both right." Lena replied. "I'll be more careful in future." Angela smiled and McCree returned to his drink.

"By the way, did you tell Emily that you'll be home late?" Angela added, smiling again as she leaned back.

"Oh, better do that now. Thanks for reminding me." Lena pulled out her phone, writing a message to her girlfriend.

Hey em

Need to lay low for a bit after the recent battle so won't be home for a day or two.

Sorry

Love ya :)

A couple of minutes later, she got a reply.

Don't worry about it Lena.

Shame though, I had a great plan for us tonight. I suppose it could wait a day or two.

Love you too ;)

"You two make a great couple." Angela said, winking at Lena.

Lena chuckled to herself, blushing slightly. "Thanks." She replied as she put her phone away. She hated having to leave Emily in the dark sometimes but at least she understood and supported her. She couldn't ask for a better girlfriend.

Winston meanwhile had finally found something in the Talon intel.

"Athena, you seeing this?" Winston asked.

"I am, though I do not recommend following this up. It is likely that the British military will also find out about this, if they don't know already." She replied.

"What you found big guy?" Lena asked.

Winston turned around, taking off his glasses. "According to this, the attack on King's Row was a diversion so Talon could transport something out of the country. There's a cargo ship leaving Liverpool soon that's carrying something referred to as Project Indigo."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Lena asked.

"I don't think following this intel's a good idea Lena. We're not outfitted for a stealth mission and by time we're ready, the ship would of moved out of port, making it difficult to land on without being noticed."

"Luv, whatever this 'Project Indigo' is, we need to take it away from them. Talon could be making new weapons for all we know!" Lena argued.

"I know but it's too risky. Hopefully, the SAS will find the intel we have. I'll have Athena drop the British a hint in a couple of hours just to make sure." It was at this moment Lena had an idea. Someone from her past still owed her a favour.

"Winston. What if I knew a guy who could help?"


	3. Stowaway

**Stowaway**

Credenhill, United Kingdom- Two hours after the attack on King's Row

Credenhill was a little village situated in Herefordshire. People went about their lives with little to worry about. A small village like this was not a realistic target for Talon. However, outside of the village was a military base. This was the home of the UK Special Air Service.

Captain Ross Jameson, commonly known around the base as 'the Captain,' was standing in front of several computer screens, analysing the intel they had. He was in his forties, though he never told anyone his exact age, preferring be a slight mystery. He had a short, visable beard, clearly a veteran of the force.

"MI5 must of had a field day when this came in." Jameson said, pointing to the screens in front of him.

"Yeah well, our boys had a field day with the Talon soldiers we captured." Another SAS trooper joked. This was Robert Smith or 'Buck,' Jameson's second in command. He was younger than the captain at 34 and unlike the captain, had no facial hair. He was paired with Jameson over a year and a half ago and since then, the two had become an exceptional team.

"Did we learn anything MI5 didn't?" Jameson asked, continuing to read through the information in front of him.

"The troops weren't very well informed, though they said Talon's moving this 'Project Indigo' tonight and that it's well defended." Buck replied.

"Right. Buck assemble the squad, we need to run through what we know."

With that Buck departed, walking off to find the other troopers assigned to the mission. A few minutes later a team of soldiers had assembled in the room, sitting on chairs that had been set up for the briefing. Once Buck walked back in, he nodded to Jameson, signaling that everyone was present.

"Good evening fellas, here's what we know. Earlier today, Talon attacked King's Row and failed thanks to a mixture of our boys and Overwatch. However, the King's Row team recovered enemy intel that states this attack was a diversion, so Talon could transport something out of the country, referred to as 'Project Indigo.' We don't know what this project is, only that it's being smuggled out the country through Liverpool, via cargo ship."

While Jameson gave the briefing, a communications officer tapped Buck on the back. He turned and began to speak to her, though no one could make out what it was about. Jameson simply continued with the briefing.

"MI5 have since been on the ground in Liverpool, identifying the vessel as number 71332 registered to the Vishkar Corporation."

"Vishkar? They don't have any operations in the UK." One trooper said, slightly unsure if he was right.

"None that we know of." Jameson answered. "Nor, according to the CIA, do they have any in the US, where this ship's going. MI5 believe that this ship's the one Talon's using to transport the package. Since we don't know what the package is, we can't just assault it in the port, or we risk contaminating the area if it's chemical weaponry. However, the ship will leave port in about 5 minutes. Once it's far enough out to sea, we'll use the stealth bird and board the ship. Our mission is to locate this 'Project Indigo' and keep it away from Talon. Any questions?"

"Any idea why Talon's using a Vishkar vessel?" One trooper asked.

"No. It's possible that they don't know they're carrying the package, or Talon's taken over the ship. It's also possible that they're working directly with Talon, though this would be very concerning if that's the case." Jameson replied, looking down at his screens again.

"Rules of engagement sir?" Another trooper asked

"If hostile, crew expendable." The troopers all nodded. "If that's all, everyone go get ready for the mission. Squad dismissed." The soldiers disbanded, all rushing off to prepare. Buck now walked over, handing Jameson a small earpiece.

"Command says someone's on the line with intel about 'Project Indigo' but say they'll only speak to you." Buck said, relaying the information the communication officer told him.

Jameson picked up the earpiece, dismissing Buck and leaving him alone. "Identify yourself."

"Ross, it's Lena."

Jameson breathed out heavily. He hadn't spoken to Lena for over two years now. "You know, I should report this straight away."

"You should, but your not going to." Lena replied.

"I take it this isn't a social call?" Jameson asked, knowing Lena wanted something.

"I'm guessing you've found out about a Talon shipment heading out of Liverpool?"

"That we have."

"I need you to tell me what this 'Project Indigo' is. We can't get to it and it could be vital in the fight against Talon."

Jameson sighed, rubbing his eyes as he replied. "Lena, you know that'll be top secret..."

"Don't give me that! You still owe me for saving your arse, twice. I'm calling one in. Besides you've not been one for formalities ever since you joined Overwatch all those years ago."

Jameson chuckled. "That I haven't. Look, I'll tell you what I can, just don't expect a full battle report. I still have a job to do."

"Thanks luv!" Lena replied. "And be careful."

"Aren't I always?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" With that Lena put the phone down, leaving Jameson to prepare for the upcoming mission.

1 hour later- Off the coast of the UK

The SAS dropship moved quickly towards its target, now miles away from land. It was 1:30 in the morning, the cargo ship now far enough away from the port that any risk was mitigated.

The dropship being used was a specialised stealth ship, designed and built specifically with this type of operation in mind. The engines were much quieter than most dropships out there and the ship itself was painted black, making it more difficult to notice during the night.

As they approached the cargo ship, Captain Jameson opened the dropship doors, holding onto the side and looking out at the cargo ship.

"That's the target vessel. Gas masks on. Pilot, offload us at the rear of the vessel and move to minimum safe distance."

The pilot obeyed, hovering just behind the cargo ship and letting the soldiers jump aboard the vessel, before moving away. There were a total of 12 soldiers deployed for this mission, separated into two teams. As the troops stacked up, Jameson heard someone approaching, moving quickly to cover and grabbing them as they walked around the corner. He quickly incapacitated his target, throwing them to the ground and knocking them out.

Jameson now analysed the target. He was armed with an assault rifle, standard issue for Talon soldiers and was far too well equipped for mere security on a cargo ship. However, Jameson's suspicions were all but confirmed when he saw a logo on the targets shoulder.

"That's a Talon insignia." He pointed out to the rest of the SAS troops.

"We clear to engage sir?" Buck asked.

"Clear to engage hostiles." Jameson confirmed. "Though try and keep any unarmed personnel alive if possible."

"Roger that." Buck said, signaling the rest of the troops to move forward. The troops split into their two teams, each taking a different side of the cargo vessel. Talon guards were in the way but simply couldn't react, being gunned down before they could raise the alarm. The area near the landing zone was cleared very quickly, very few Talon troops present and the silenced weaponry making life much easier for the SAS teams.

"Team two, clear out the top deck, team one with me." Jameson ordered, team one stacking up near a door to the lower levels. As team two moved further up the vessel, Buck opened the door, Jameson taking point and leading team one to the lower levels.

As the team made their way lower into the vessel, they came across an open door with voices coming from it. Jameson signalled the team to hold position, while Buck moved to the door, ready to push the door open while Jameson readied a flashbang.

As the Captain threw the flashbang inside the room, Buck closed the door, letting it detonate before Jameson kicked it back open, firing his rifle at the troops inside and quickly killing them. Once the room was clear, Jameson stepped back out, signaling Buck to take point. He responded by pulling a silenced shotgun off his back, putting his rifle in its place.

"Putting your Buck Wild name to use." One of the SAS troopers joked.

"What can I say, close encounters are my speciality." Buck joked back, moving up to a turning in the hallway and hugging the wall, leaning around to check if it was clear. A hand gesture was used to signal the all clear, allowing the team to move on once again.

After a few minutes, the team reached the entrance to the cargo hold, a small door that was guarded by two Talon troopers. They had little time to react when they saw the intruders however, being gunned down before they could raise their rifles. The door was slightly open, letting Buck peak inside without being seen. Upon a brief inspection, he saw a large number of Talon troops, set up in defensive positions.

Buck closed the door, swapping his shotgun for his rifle. "The second we go in there all hell breaks lose. No way is this staying a stealth mission Captain." He reported.

Jameson now activated his earpiece. "Team two, status report."

"We've cleared the top level and are about to hit the bridge." The leader of team two replied.

Jameson thought for a few moments, pacing back and forth as he considered his options. He finally made a decision.

"Once you've taken control of the ship, shut down the engines and leave two men to guard the control room. Then the rest of you head to the cargo hold, enter through the front entrance."

"Acknowledged."

Jameson now moved to the door, taking a quick look inside. "Team two will move to flank the enemy, we'll attack through this door, keeping the enemy focused on us so Team two can move into position."

"That's risky sir. What if we get overwhelmed?" Buck asked.

"That's a large amount of cover near this door and the light near it is on the blink. Clearly they're not expecting us. Move into a good position and fire at the closest target once I give the word." The troops nodded at the Captain's orders. Jameson opened the door slowly, the soldiers moving to cover, no one noticing them enter.

The cargo hold was divided into two main sections, a large dividing wall separating one from the other. This section was littered with crates, barrels and equipment. There were small metal stairs on either side of the room that lead up to catwalks. Three doors then lead to the second section, one on each catwalk and one on the lower level.

"No explosives. We don't want to rupture any of these containers until we know what we're dealing with." Jameson said quietly, reminding everyone why they were here. Once everyone was ready, Jameson gave the word.

"Open fire." Six Talon troops were immediately gunned down, throwing the unprepared troops into a moment of panic. This panic resulted in another four troopers being cut down before a defensive line was created. Talon now bogged down, holding position against the attackers. After a few minutes of continuous fighting, a group of Talon soldiers moved up to the walkways above the cargo hold, giving them a clear view of the battlefield.

"Take down those troops on the catwalks!" Buck shouted, alerting the rest of the team. Four of the team focused on the catwalk above them, taking down the troopers which had taken the high ground. With the high ground lost, the defenders fell back slightly, allowing the team to push forward. After another few minutes, the Talon troops fell back completely, retreating to the second section of the cargo hold.

The SAS team pushed on, climbing up the metal stairs on the left of the room and grouping up on the door here. Before they entered, Jameson contacted the second team again.

"Team two, what's your status?"

"Moving into position at the entrance to the right catwalk. I'm guessing we're flanking the enemy sir?" The team commander asked, gathering the fighting he could hear was the first team.

"Indeed, wait for my signal then move in." Jameson now opened the door slightly, throwing in another flashbang before kicking it open. The detonation left three troopers behind the door disoriented, the SAS team gunning them down in seconds.

The Talon defenders now concentrated their fire on the upper catwalk, unable to gain a clear shot thanks to the metal covered barrier.

"Team two, move in!" Jameson ordered. The door to the other catwalk opened, the second team, minus two, moving in unnoticed. This gave them the opportunity to line up perfect shots, taking down the most dangerous targets first.

Talons defending troops were left with very little cover, some trying to hide behind crates and containers to avoid the fire of one team, only to be cut down by the other. They were no match for the highly trained SAS teams and the fight was quickly over, no Talon troops left standing.

"Area secure." The second team commander stated.

Jameson now analysed the room. This section was much like the first, only this time, a large blue container was dotted near the back, two wooden desks in front of it. On one desk was a computer while the other was covered in paperwork. It was amazing that the paperwork was not hit during the fight. Near the large blue container were about four smaller red containers, placed against the walls out of the way.

"Someone check that container. Buck find out what you can from that computer." Jameson said, the troopers responding quickly and moving down to the items in question.

Buck walked over to the computer, pushing a chair out of the way and moving the mouse, waking it up. Jameson meanwhile walked over to the other desk, looking over the paperwork for anything on Project Indigo. Two other soldiers worked on opening the blue container, while the others doubled checked the cargo hold for any stragglers. The blue container was locked with a large padlock, which was quickly removed thanks to a shot from a pistol.

The two troopers now opened up the container, one quickly raising his rifle as he looked inside. However, as soon as he saw what was stored inside, he immediately lowered his gun, shocked at what he saw.

"Oh my... Captain, you need to see this."

Jameson walked towards the container, another soldier taking over looking through the paperwork. When he saw inside the container, he stopped dead.

It was a girl, locked away in a small metal cage.

"Oh my god... it's a girl." Jameson muttered out, everyone looking up when he said it. The girl looked up at him slowly, fear in her eyes. "She can't be no older than 20."

The girl was covered in dirt, grime and blood, likely her own. Jameson could only just make out that she had blonde hair, but other than that, the dirt and blood covered her features.

Jameson walked inside, the girl backing up slightly in panic. Jameson noticed this, quickly dropping his weapon and taking off his gas mask.

"Hey, I'm not here to hurt you." He moved his left shoulder into view, showing her the UK flag attached to his clothing. "See, I'm one of the good guys."

The girl analysed the flag for a few seconds, relaxing slightly as she realised that the unknown person was a friend. "Are they gone... the Talon soldiers."

"Yes, they're gone. They won't hurt you anymore." Jameson now turned around slightly. "Someone try and find some keys for this cage."

As soon as he said this, the girl leaned forward, pushing open the door to her cage. Jameson looked confused for a few seconds, before the girl held up a hair pin, moulded into a makeshift picklock.

"Never mind... she handled it."

Jameson reached forward, holding out his hand. "Come on, let's get you out of here."

The girl thought for a few moments. "Will you take me somewhere safe?" She asked.

She sounded so vulnerable, the hardened SAS captain could hardly believe it. "We will."

With that, she took his hand, crawling out of the small cage and standing up. They took no less than two small steps, before Buck was heard.

"Look what I found!" Jameson looked out the container to see Buck throwing someone into the chair he pushed away earlier. He was wearing a white lab coat, clearly a scientist of some sort.

"Right you sick fuck, tell me, what's this 'Project Indigo' of yours?" Buck demanded.

The scientist simply chuckled. "I ain't telling you shit."

The girl saw the scientist, hiding herself behind Jameson. Buck meanwhile had very little patience with this man, reaching for his shotgun and aiming it straight at his left leg.

"Let me ask again. What is Project Indigo?"

The scientist suddenly began to co-operate. "Okay, okay. It's her."

"The girl?" Buck asked.

"Following how successful Widowmaker was, Talon wanted more of her. Indigo was an initiative to create a better Widowmaker. This girl responded the best to the tests, so she was to be the first."

Buck just looked at the scientist. It wasn't visable, but he was disgusted at him. "Thanks. Now, have a nap." With that he hit him with the barrel of his shotgun, knocking him out instantly.

The girl relaxed again, moving out the container and into view of the other troopers.

Some of the other troops opened the red containers, finding more people inside of them. They were a random assortment of nationalities, some dead, while others were just clinging onto life. The one thing linking them was their ages. They all looked a similar age to the girl.

"They were clearly experiments, perhaps collateral damage according to Talon, so the girl's change was successful." Jameson thought.

Jameson now activated his earpiece once again.

"Command, this is Captain Jameson. we've secured the cargo ship and located the package. I need an extraction for a HVI."

"Roger that, the navy will be there soon to take over. Extraction on its way, ETA, five minutes. Captain, what was the package?"

"A girl."

Watchpoint Gibraltar- One day later

Lena was sat with Winston in his lab, waiting for a call from Jameson. It had been a day since she called in the favour, so she suspected that something had happened. Angela was standing nearby, also waiting for the report from Jameson. As they waited, Mei and McCree walked in, snowball floating around Mei and teasing her. They walked over to Winston and Lena, who had stood up and started pacing.

"Be patient Lena." Angela said, sending she was on edge.

Lena stopped pacing, breathing in and letting out a large breath. "Yeah, sorry. It's just been a day now so I'm a little worried, that's all."

As soon as she said that, her phone rang. She quickly pulled it out of her pocket, seeing that the caller was in fact Jameson. Winston plugged the phone into his computer, allowing everyone to hear and letting Athena monitor the call more effectively.

"Hey Ross. What did you find?" Lena asked, everyone else remaining quiet.

Ross didn't answer for a few seconds. "It was a girl."

"What? A girl?"

"Talon we're trying to make another Widowmaker. That's what Indigo was." Ross was clearly troubled by this, Lena could tell.

"Is she alright?" Lena asked.

Ross sighed. "Yeah she's better, though no one can get though to her. She seems very distant, almost afraid to talk to us. Strangely, she seems to light up when she sees pictures of Overwatch on the TV when she's in her room. It's the only way we've been able to get anything out of her. Hell, we don't even know her name yet."

This gave Lena an idea. "Ross, you'll hate me for asking this..."

"There's no way I could get you clearance." Ross answered, knowing the question.

"You said it yourself, she won't talk to anyone, but lights up when she sees pictures of us. Surely if the real Tracer was there, she'd open up and talk."

Ross sighed again, thinking for a few moments. "Can you get to London by the next day?"

"I can be there in a few hours." Lena replied. "That mean I can see her?"

"I can't promise anything, but if your in London, I'll see what I can do."

"I'll call when I'm there." With that Lena ended the call.

Winston now turned to Lena. "You sure about this?"

"She might be able to tell us more about Talon's plans. She's clearly been behind enemy lines for a while if she's in that state. I think I have a good chance of getting her to open up." Lena replied, confidence in her voice. "Besides, I can take those days off you owe me."

"How do you know that guy anyway?" McCree asked. "It's not common knowledge who's in the SAS."

"He was one of the foot soldiers for Overwatch back in the day. Shortly after I became an agent, I went on a few missions with his squad, started talking after one mission and we just became friends." Lena explained.

"How did you know he was SAS then?" Mei asked.

"He told me. He said was handpicked along with a couple of other men. A few months before Overwatch fell, he left and returned to the SAS. He was good at guessing when something was out of the ordinary, so he must of sensed something was up before he left. Anyway, if that's all, then I'm off home. See ya in a few days."

With that she waved at everyone and left, running off towards the front of the lab, where a dropship was landing.

As Lena left, Angela's phone received a message.

 _Hey Ang_

 _Managed to get a few days off work. If your able to, are you up for a catch up?_

 _Fareeha_

Angela hadn't spoken to Fareeha for a while now. They'd formed a strong friendship after Angela had comforted Fareeha when Ana died. Well, when they thought she had died. Fareeha found out her mother was alive about six months ago, receiving a letter and actually seeing her. Angela had promised she would visit Fareeha the last time they saw each other and Angela rarely broke her promises.

"Hey Winston. Since Lena's off, mind if I take a day or two away as well?" Angela asked innocently, taking a page out of Lena's book.

"What for?" Winston asked.

"I owe someone a visit."

Winston knew what she meant, chuckling before he replied. "You don't have to act so innocent. Of course you can. We're not planning any missions so you should be good for a few days. Just be careful."

Angela smiled. "Of course I will Winston. See you in a few days." She quickly departed for the dropship, Athena holding the dropship Lena was on for a few moments to let Angela board. Once she was aboard, the dropship took off, heading first for London, then Egypt.

As the dropship departed, Angela pulled out her phone.

 _Of course_

 _I have some time off, so I'll be in Egypt in a few hours._

 _See you then._

"So, have you two snogged yet?"

"LENA!" Angela had gotten used to these jokes now. Lena was also a friend of Fareeha's, though she didn't know her as well as Angela.

"What? You two are perfect for each other. You both have wings for a start." Lena smiled very innocently.

"We're just friends Lena. She doesn't have any feelings for me."

"But you're not denying it." Angela simply stared at Lena. "Come on Ang. It's obvious you like her, so ask her out. You need to let your hair down once in a while."

Angela responded by doing exactly that. She reached to the back of her head and pulled out her hair bobble, letting her hair fall freely while smiling at Lena in exactly the same way she did.

"Oh very funny." Lena said, rolling her eyes.

"I learned from the best." Angela joked back, gaining a chuckle from Lena.

King's Row, London- 2 hours later

Emily was sat in Lena's apartment, watching the TV. The area was still on edge after the Talon attack, though everyone was defiant, continuing on with their lives as if nothing happened. As Emily reached for the remote, changing the channel to something a little less boring, she heard the front door open.

"Honey, I'm home!"

Emily didn't move however. Forcing Lena to walk to her.

"Oh sorry, I didn't hear you come in." Emily joked, as Lena jumped on the couch and immediately hugged her girlfriend.

"Sorry for leaving you." Lena said, putting on her puppy dog eyes and looking up at Emily.

"So you should be. You left me all alone on a cold night." Emily was being very flirtatious, Lena knew she wasn't being serious at all.

"That I did. How could I ever make it up to you." Lena replied, equally seductive.

"Well... I have an idea." Emily leaned to her girlfriends ear. "Though, you'll have to wait till later." She whispered.

"Oh you're such a tease luv." Lena said, gaining a chuckle from Emily.

"Hey Em, mind if I ask a favour. I wouldn't normally ask."

Lena now became serious again. Ross had texted her back and he somehow convinced someone high up to let him bring the girl to King's Row. Lena would find out exactly how he managed that later.

"Sure. As long as it isn't dangerous. I'm not you, remember."

Lena smiled. "No nothing like that. An old friend recently rescued a girl from Talon and she's not talking to anyone. We think that if I speak to her, she'll open up to me. He's bringing her to King's Row and I need to be incognito."

"Okay, how am I involved here?" Emily asked, unsure where Lena was going with this.

"Well, I need a date. That way, no one will think anything of it, just that she's a friend or a fan."

Emily snuggled close to Lena. "You just see an opportunity to get yourself in my good books again, don't you?"

"Maybe a little." Lena joked, kissing Emily's head.

"If you think it'll help, then sure. She's okay isn't she?"

"Yes, she's okay. Just shaken I think." Lena hoped she was right. Talon left their mark on people, Widowmaker a perfect example. She hoped that the girl was still herself.

Later that day

Lena and Emily were walking to the pub in King's Row, arm in arm. Lena and Ross had agreed to meet up later that day, when it was still light, in order to make the girl a bit more comfortable. They both agreed to keep a low profile, the reason Lena had asked Emily to come along. This bar was one they regularly visited, so the two of them wouldn't raise any eyebrows.

As the couple arrived at the pub, Lena looked inside. The place was packed, no one would guess that the district had been attacked a day earlier. Sure enough though, Ross was sat inside with the girl. He was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans, a light grey shirt along with a black jacket. Lena guessed there was a weapon of some sort hidden in that jacket. He also had a glass of whiskey sat in front of him. The girl was just out of sight, Lena only able to make out her blonde hair and glass of what she guessed was water or lemonade.

The two women now stepped inside, Lena waving to the bartender, who recognised them instantly.

"Evening ladies! What can I get ya?"

"I'll have a beer." Emily said.

"Make that two luv." Lena said, looking towards Ross and giving him a subtle wave.

"Coming right up." Within a few moments, the bartender returned with two opened bottles of beer, Lena paying before they found a table. After a few minutes, Lena decided to approach the girl.

"Right, I'm going to go have a word with her." Lena told Emily, as she stood up and walked over to Ross. She could now make out the girl. She had long, blonde hair and blue eyes. She was no longer covered in dirt and blood, cleaned up to look like a normal girl.

Once Lena was close enough, Ross leaned forward to speak with the girl.

"Hey, remember that woman I wanted you to meet?" The girl simply nodded, still not speaking apart from a word or two and looked down. Lena pulled out the seat next to Ross, sitting down and faced the girl. The girl noticed a blue glow that suddenly appeared. She slowly looked up, seeing the accelerator first and then Lena.

"Hey luv." It was like a switch had been flicked. The girl went from being quiet and down, to energised and happy.

"Tracer?" The girl asked, not believing that she was here.

"That's me, though feel free to call me Lena. Everyone here does." Lena winked at the girl, gaining a smile from her. "So, what's your name then?"

The girl seemed to tense up slightly, looking towards Ross and then looking away. Ross noticed this, reacting to the situation.

"I'll give you two some space."

"I have a table over there." Lena pointed towards Emily as Ross left, taking his glass of whiskey with him.

"Jessica. Jessica King." The girl answered, finally feeling safe.

"Nice to meet you Jess. How old are you?" Lena smiled at the young girl.

"Twenty."

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. I feel safe." Jessica replied, loosening up and relaxing slightly.

"If you don't mind me asking then, how come your not talking to anyone except me?"

Jessica thought for a few moments. "Honestly?"

"Honestly. You've been a prisoner for months I'm guessing. If I were in your position, I'd be talking to everyone I saw." Lena moved her hand forward, offering it to Jess who took it.

"I'm scared. I'm scared that Talon will find me again. They took me to a horrible place and I've been there for months. I don't want them to take me back." Jessica held onto Lena's hand, almost like she was being dragged away and she was holding on. Lena placed her other hand on Jessica's.

"They won't. I promise you." Jessica seemed to relax again once Lena said this. "What happened to you in there Jessica? How long have you been there?"

Jessica breathed in heavily. "Three months ago, Talon came into my house. I was alone, Mum and Dad had gone out shopping so I had the place to myself. I was doing some revision for an upcoming exam when armed men kicked down the door and kidnapped me. They subjected me and about 11 other kids to brutal 'training' as they called it. They tortured us, showing us images of Overwatch and telling us it was your fault."

"They wanted you to hate us, so you'd kill us without a second thought." Lena realised, struggling to hold back a tear.

"Yeah. It worked on some of us, though I pretended. I used the images to give me hope, knowing that Talon was afraid of you. It kept me sane. In the end, everyone else either died or went mad. I was the best result they said. They showed me video and images of someone called Widowmaker, said they were going to make me like her..." Jessica was on the verge of tears, so Lena stepped in.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me anymore." Lena noticed the empty glass in front of Jessica. "Want another drink? They do a great vodka with a hint of lemon." Jessica laughed. "I'll have a coke, that's probably not my thing."

Lena turned to the bartender. "Hey Dave, one coke and hold the vodka."

The bartender simply raised a bottle of vodka up. "I'm holding it, now what?" Jessica laughed again, Lena putting a thumb up as she turned back around.

Ross meanwhile was sat with Emily, finishing off his glass of whiskey. "She's bloody amazing." Emily looked over to him, slightly confused. "She's said more to Lena in ten minutes than she's said to us in one day." Ross clarified, making Emily smile.

"She has a way of making anyone smile. Maybe that's what you needed." Emily said, watching the girl open up to Lena.

After an hour, Jessica had returned to her former self. She stayed on the soft drinks, but had chatted with Lena on a number of different topics. Her interests, hobbies and future plans. Once she had finished talking, Lena could see she was tired.

"Jess, before you go, promise me one thing."

"Okay."

"Promise me that you'll talk to Ross and the others he works with. They're the good guys and I know Ross. He can be trusted."

"I promise. I'm ready to talk."

Lena now waved Ross over, who quickly downed his drink and walked over. "Hey kid. you ready to go?"

Jess looked up at him. "Yes, I'm ready." An hour with Lena and she was a different person. Ross was amazed.

"Come on then." As she walked to the door to the pub, Ross turned to Lena. "Nice work Oxton. Till the next time."

"Till the next time. By the way, how did you manage to get her here? I guess you didn't tell the entire truth."

"Well, I suggested someone should take her out, try and calm her down. They did agree and put me in charge of her, since she seemed a bit more comfortable with me. Probably helped that I'm a captain now." Ross explained.

"Captain? You've gone up in the world." Lena joked, gaining a small chuckle from Ross. "Her name's Jessica King. Her family will be worried."

"I'll get her back to them as soon as possible." With that, Ross gave Lena a subtle salute, walking after Jess and leaving the pub.

Lena and Emily didn't hang around long afterwards. They left after another 10 minutes. Once they were home, Lena put her accelerator on charge, before falling straight onto her bed. Emily crawled on after her, cuddling her left side.

"Your amazing, you know that right?" Emily said.

Lena turned to face her girlfriend. "I know I'm good but haven't laid a finger on you, so I doubt I'm that good."

Emily simply laughed at the dirty joke. "No silly, I meant tonight, with that girl. She wasn't talking to anyone and after an hour with you she was a completely different person. I'm so proud of you." Emily leaned in and kissed Lena.

"Thanks luv."

"Though you are pretty good in that department as well." Emily winked, wrapping her legs around Lena's waist.

"Oh. Just how good am I exactly?" Lena purred, wrapping her arms around Emily.

"Well, Maybe you could remind me."

Lena's and Emily's lips crashed into each other. Within a few minutes, clothes were littered across the floor and the two of them were under the covers.

"I love you Emily." Lena said, managing to get on top as she kissed her girlfriends cheek.

"I love you too Lena." The two of them shared one long, deep kiss before Lena went to work. The night was perfect for both of them.


	4. I Had Strings

**I Had Strings...**

Talon base- Austria

The Talon base was bustling with activity, people moving from one side of the facility to the other as quickly as they could. It was a special occasion, a meeting of the leaders of Talon was planned and this base was selected for it. The base was hidden well away from any prying eyes and far away for anyone to stumble across it. Anyone who ever did simply disappeared, never to be seen again.

Inside the base, Talon personnel entered and exited rooms and opened doorways leading to more sections of the base. However, one door was never touched, no one daring to enter.

This was the personal quarters of Widowmaker. Her quarters were quite well equipped compared to other quarters in the base, most soldiers simply being given a small bed while scientists were given a small room.

Widow's was equipped in a way that made it seem like a hotel room. Personal bathroom, comfy bed, even chests of drawers and a mirror. Talon gave her a surprising amount of home comforts as well as space to relax. She also had free movement all over the base.

Widow had similar quarters throughout Talon facilities all over the world. This wasn't Talon being nice however, something Widow suspected for a long time. Talon gave her a surprising amount of freedom as well compared to the other Talon operatives. Reaper was high up in Talon so of course he had a lot of freedom. Sombra could find dirt on anyone so no one wanted to start bossing her around. Widow only had her training, no real reason to give her this much freedom. So why exactly did she had this room? Why was she given so much space?

These were just a couple of the questions that had recently started to plague her mind since King's Row. Her head was starting to ache again since the images appeared, so she tried to take her mind off it. Now Widow stood in the shower, her head against the wall as cold water hit her and ran off her body. Widow preferred cold showers, her cold skin meant that hot water always made her feel uncomfortable. Even warm water felt like it was burning her, even though it could never harm her. However, there was a voice in the back of her head telling her to turn the temperature up.

Without thinking, Widow reached for the controls and turned the heat up. Within a few seconds, the water became much warmer and Widow began to feel a slight tingling on her skin. There was no burning sensation, instead it felt nice... like life itself was returning to her. Her head ache was also clearing, the pain seemingly being reduced by the warm water. She moved her head back from the wall and let the water run over her hair. She simply stood there, a slight moan escaping as the warm water continued to work its magic.

 _"You know, your incredibly beautiful Amelie."_

Widow turned around at lightning speed, her arms raised ready to attack. She heard someone speak, yet no one was there. As she analysed the room for a few more seconds, a sudden wave of pain hit her head, causing her to collapse to the floor as images flooded her mind again.

 _"Gerard, at least let me put some clothes on, we're going to be late." Amelie said, leaning back into her husband as he kissed her neck._

Widow could see herself, only it wasn't her. She had nothing but a towel on and a man was wrapping his arms around her. He was wearing a tuxedo, clearly they were preparing to go out for the evening. They seemed close... very close.

 _"Well, I wouldn't complain if we were, there's a big distraction here." Amelie laughed as Gerard continued his assault on her neck._

 _"Well, you did promise your friend we'd be there in a hour."_

 _"That I did. I really need to stop making those promises don't I?" Gerard smiled at Amelie, who simply smirked at an idea she had._

 _"Tell you what. How about you let me put my dress on. Then if you can keep your hands off me for the night, I'll show you something amazing when we get back." Amelie winked at Gerard._

 _"Is that a challenge Mrs Lacroix?"_

 _"Yes it is, Mr Lacroix. You up for it?"_

 _"I do love a challenge." Gerard gave Amelie a kiss on her neck. She quickly turned around, leaning into a large kiss before playfully pushing him away, giving him a sly smile before returning to her preparations for the evening._

Widow returned to reality, breathing heavily as she went over what she just saw. That was Gerard, no doubt about it. That was a memory of her old life... a life before Talon.

Widow stood up, turning off the shower and drying herself off quickly. Once she was dry, she put on her outfit and tied up her hair, before walking out of her room. Only one person knew of her current situation, she needed to speak to them, urgently.

Fortunately, they were at the base as well.

She wasn't able to get more than ten steps though, before someone called out to her.

"Ah Amelie. How are you feeling today?" It was Moira. Widow could not stand how she called her Amelie. That was the name of a dead woman... or so she thought.

"I don't feel. That's the point isn't it?" Widow said calmly. She really didn't want to talk right now. Her mind was playing tricks on her and she didn't want Moira of all people seeing.

Moira simply raised her eyebrows at the reply. "Widow isn't one for talking I suppose." She thought to herself. "I don't suppose you've seen Gabriel around have you?" She asked.

"Non." Widow replied, simply turning her head to acknowledge the other woman.

Moira simply nodded. "Very well, I'll let you be on your way. If you see Gabe, tell him the meeting's starting soon." With that, Moira walked away, arms folded behind her back. She had a strange presence around the base. If you knew her, she seemed to get along with you well enough. However, for the most part, she kept to herself, which made the Talon troops nervous.

As Moira left, Widow continued to head to her original destination. She hoped that no one else would bother her for the rest of the day.

A short walk away and another small room could be found. A purple glow could be seen from under the metal door. Sombra had set up her 'office' as she called it, a large computer dominating the small room. There was a bed as well as a desk, along with a metal chair that was sitting against the wall, out of the way. Sombra was sat on an office chair, busy typing away and looking through various documents. Reaper was standing nearby, not paying attention to what Sombra was doing.

"I'm sure she's fine Gabe." Sombra said, opening a virtual file with her fingers, only to flick it away a couple of seconds later.

"No, something was definitely bothering her when she boarded the shuttle." Reaper replied, watching the virtual file being flicked into a virtual bin.

This was a side of Reaper people didn't see, the one that cared about someone. The only two people he ever opened up to was Sombra and Widow, the three of them talking in private very often. Sombra had even given the three of them a nickname, Team Talon. These were the only two people Reaper let use his real name. Well, them, Doomfist and unfortunately Moira.

Reaper respected Doomfist, but he never saw him as a friend, more a polite co-worker. Moira on the other hand... well let's just say she wasn't his favourite person at Talon, not since the Swiss base anyway. He simply tolerated her at best.

"Maybe she took a heavy hit, she was fighting Amari wasn't she?" Sombra suggested. Reaper simply shook his head, clearly lost in thought. "Relax Gabe, I'm sure she's fine."

"Sure who's fine?" Both Sombra and Repaer turned to the door as Widow walked inside.

"Gabe here thinks there's something bothering you." Sombra explained, turning back to her large computer screen.

"I'm fine." Widow replied, her voice cold as ever.

"Are you sure?" Reaper asked. He considered himself a very good judge of character, especially where Widow was concerned. "You really don't seem it."

"I'm fine Gabe." Widow answered back, perhaps a little more aggressive than she needed to. "Sorry, I just took a hit at King's Row. It's just put me in a bad mood." Widow tried to explain, rubbing her head slightly in an attempt to cover up the real reason why she was so on edge at the moment.

"See, I told you." Sombra spoke up, addressing Reaper. "Taking a hit to the head can make anyone grumpy." She joked.

As Reaper grumbled at the joke, Widow passed on Moira's message. "By the way, Moira's looking for you. She says that meeting's going to start soon."

Reaper simply groaned. "Great, at least two hours of sitting in a boardroom with her."

"Yeah she scares me a little." Sombra stated, not looking away from her screen. "She doubles checks everything I go near in case I bug something. Talk about paranoid. Wonder what she's hiding..." Sombra trailed off, imagining what dark secret Moira could be hiding.

"I'll be back later I guess." Reaper said, walking out of Sombra's room. Once he was gone, Sombra broke the silence once again.

"Okay. What's really up with you?" Reaper might of been right, Widow was a bit off right now. However, the reply she gave caught her off guard.

"We need to talk." Sombra knew what that meant. She turned around and saw Widow. She was scared, something she shouldn't be feeling. Sombra stood up, walking over to the door.

"Okay. Sit down." She said to Widow as she locked the door. Widow obeyed , sitting down on Sombra's chair and calming down slightly as she heard the door lock engage. Once Sombra looked the door, she pulled over the other chair, sitting in front of Widow and leaning forward.

"What's happened?" Sombra asked.

Widow breathed in heavily before she answered. "I... I had a vision. I saw something from my past." Sombra looked away for a few moments, taking in what she just heard. "I didn't know who else to talk to. No one else knows... do they?" Widow trailed off, slightly concerned.

"No, I'm still the only person." Sombra answered, calming Widow down again. Sombra had managed to get Widow to open up to her after a similar issue six months ago. Widow's took a number of hits which allowed her conditioning to degrade. Sombra explained a lot of things concerning her conditioning since then, how it worked and how it would break down.

"Okay, start from the beginning. Tell me exactly what's happening." Sombra opened a virtual notebook, the screen appearing at the end of her fingers.

Widow breathed in again, thinking back on the last few days. "Well, it started during the King's Row mission. Everything was alright until Ana appeared. We fought for a long time until she landed a heavy blow on me. That's when I started having images flash in my mind. Then Ana said something... and I answered back... but it wasn't me."

"What did she say?" Sombra asked, moving her fingers and typing down a few things that Widow said.

"She said..." Sombra swore she saw a tear from Widow, though she didn't comment on it. "She said Gerard was a fool to have ever loved me..."

"That probably triggered your response." Sombra stated. She could tell Widow was dwelling on Ana's words. She quickly took Widow's hands in her own. "Hey, she's wrong. Talon is to blame, not you." Widow simply nodded, continuing with her story.

"After the mission, I had another vision. This one was clearer though, I could make out what was happening and being said." Widow smiled slightly as she recalled the memory but it quickly disappeared. "What do I do? I've not had this happen for a while and never this bad."

Sombra thought for a moment. "Well, I need to do a little research to see how bad it really is. I don't think it's too serious yet, but better safe than sorry. For now, I'd get some rest. Both of us are being reassigned to another base soon, something to do with Talon's latest plan, so keep out of the way and keep your head down. Come see me again after we've arrived at the second base and I'll see what I have. Okay?"

Widow nodded. "Okay. Sombra, thank you."

"No problem." Widow stood up, quickly leaving.

Once she had left, Sombra went over to her computer and opened two different files. She had a good idea what was happening but didn't want to tell Widow until she was absolutely sure.

One file was all of her notes and memos about Widow's issues. She added the notes she just took down to the notes already present, underlining part of it as she did so. Once that was done, she opened up the second document, reading the title, as she did every time.

 _Medical reports for Amelie Lacroix / Widowmaker_

 _Last updated 5 years ago_

This file was where it all started for Sombra. She thought back to when she first started to work with Talon, remembering how she became involved in all of this.

 _Flashback- shortly after Sombra joined Talon._

 _"Yes!" You can't keep anything from me." Sombra was quite pleased with herself. A month after joining Talon and she had finally managed to crack into their systems without them knowing. She now had access to a number of top level documents. She wanted to know more about the people she was working for and now she had the ability to find out any dirty secrets they were hiding._

 _She scanned across all the files, looking for any that gained her immediate interest. There were so many, so she decided to just take the files regarding the highest ranking people in Talon. There were folders for each person. Doomfist, Reaper, Moira, along with a number of other people she had and hadn't heard of._

 _Once she was done copying those files, she planted her backdoor into the Talon system. Just before she logged out however, one other file caught her attention. Widowmaker._

 _Sombra copied the file, always wanting to know more about Talon's best assassin. She never could get her to speak much, so to gain some leverage against her would be a bonus._

 _With the last file copied, she logged herself out, leaving no trace that she was in Talon's system. She leaned back in her large chair, deciding which file to read first. After a few moments, she decided to read Widow's, thinking she'd learn why she was blue, among other things._

 _However, upon opening her file, she found a lot more than she bargained for. She was greeted with video after video. Sombra looked for the oldest one, playing it first._

 _"Your husband is never coming for you!"_

 _"Your lying! He will find me!"_

 _Amelie was covered in her own blood, beaten without remorse by three Talon soldiers. They were torturing her, trying to break her will._

 _"That's what we're counting on, Mrs Lacroix."_

 _They went back to beating her, recording every last detail. Turns out they sent this video to Overwatch to provoke a response. It worked, as three Talon bases fell within the next two days, all according to plan the report said._

 _Sombra continued to play video after video, skipping over some that were just too graphic to watch._

 _"How sick are these guys?" Sombra asked herself, as she continued to read and watch every file she could, stopping video's again and again._

 _Eventually, she came across one video named 'mission 0.' Like every other file, she opened it._

 _"Good soldiers follow orders, don't they?" A man in a white coat asked Amelie._

 _"Yes sir." Her reply made her sound just like a soldier, except more robotic. The torturing had worked, something inside of her had snapped._

 _"You know your mission?"_

 _"I am to infiltrate Overwatch and eliminate the target. Once completed, I am to return to Talon at the earliest opportunity."_

 _"Good. One more question. What do good soldiers do?"_

 _"Good soldiers follow orders."_

 _There was only one file left. Sombra opened it, reading the title._

 _Medical reports for Amelie Lacroix / Widowmaker_

 _The file stated everything that happened to Widow after the last video. She had returned to Talon two weeks later. Two days after her return, Amelie fell apart, closing up and not speaking to anyone for days. Talon noted how she didn't even react when she was called Amelie, how her personality had taken a complete turn. She lacked any emotion, feelings or mercy for anyone. Amelie was gone._

 _After three weeks, Talon scientists manage to recondition her to a more helpful personality, thus Widowmaker was born. They made sure to repress her memories, implanting the idea that Gerard died in an accident, making sure that Widow stayed loyal to them._

 _The file went on, explaining the changes to Widow. The neural reconditioning, how her heart rate and skin temperature were lowered, her reactions increased, her eyes changed so they worked more effectively than human eyes. She became the perfect assassin._

 _There was one thing that stood out however. A warning that was written at the bottom._

 _Although Widowmaker's memories seem repressed, there is a chance that the conditioning may deteriorate, resulting in a repeat of Incident 314. If any signs appear of her old memories returning, it should be reported immediately._

 _Sombra put her hands through her hair. "And I thought I had a messed up past." She said to herself. She almost couldn't believe all of that happened to her. Talon were known to be cruel at times but all of that was inhuman._

 _"Interesting reading material you have there Sombra."_

 _Sombra spun around in her chair to face the door, seeing Reaper standing there. What amazed her was that the door was locked, meaning he found a different way in._

 _"Reyes! This isn't what it looks like!"_

 _"You sure about that? And how do you know my real name?" Reaper stared down Sombra, who was leaning as far back in her chair as possible, cursing to herself that she let Reyes' name slip._

 _Sombra considered her reply for a second. "Okay, it is what it looks like... but, we can forget this ever happened right? I can get anyone on this planet to owe you a favour, just say what you need." Sombra was terrified. She knew what Reaper could do, even without reading his file. She thought she was dead, so she was desperate._

 _Reaper walked towards her, grabbing another chair and sitting down in front of her, the back of the chair in front of him, his arms folded over the top of it._

 _"Look, I never read your file, I'll delete it, I'll delete all of them. I'll get you anything you want on anyone, I'll do anything! Just, don't kill me, please..." Sombra knew she couldn't win against Reaper in a fight. Anyone who stood up against Reaper usually ended up dead, so begging was basically all she could do._

 _Reaper stared at her for what felt like an eternity. She considered he was staring straight into her soul. Finally, he spoke. "You'll do anything?"_

 _"Yes. Anything." Sombra didn't like where this was going. She thought he was about to tell her to sleep with him but, to her surprise, he didn't._

 _"You've read Widow's file, yes?" Sombra nodded. "I'm going to have you moved to active duty. You'll be paired with Widow and myself on a number of missions. Get to know her. Get her to trust you."_

 _Sombra was baffled. Why was Reaper asking her to do this? "Why?"_

 _"Because I have a plan. That's all you'll know until you prove yourself to me. Oh and feel free to keep the files, even mine if you want to." With that Reaper turned to a cloud of smoke, departing through a vent at the top of the door. Sombra was left alone, amazed she just escaped death._

 _"Getting to know the emotionless assassin. Sure. How hard can it be." She said to herself, turning back around and saving Widow's file to a more secure location. She quickly went to wipe Reaper's file as well. At the last second, she decided to keep hold of it. After all, he did say she could, maybe she'll read it in the future... the far future._

Present day

Getting to know Widow was a very difficult task. Back then, she never spoke to anyone outside missions, even Reaper. So Sombra had to be persistent. In the end, she managed to get her to talk on a dropship, shortly after a mission. She did this three times before Widow and her finally had something resembling a normal conversation.

Clearly though, her actions had worked. Widow trusted Sombra a lot to tell her about her visions.

Reaper had also explained his side of the story, or at least part of it. He knew that Widow's conditioning would one day break down. He wanted Sombra to get close to her so it would be easier to identify when it finally did so. When she asked why though, Reaper simply stated that he had his reasons but preferred that Talon didn't find out. The one thing Sombra realised was that Reyes didn't know just how bad it was. She never told him however because she wasn't sure of his true intentions.

Reaper's loyalty to Talon was in question... then again, Sombra wasn't exactly clean herself, so she never asked again, trusting Reyes. Since then, Sombra, Reaper and Widow has become good friends, another thing Talon was unaware of.

Sombra shook herself back to reality, reading back through the file she had open. "Incident 314... What is that?"

Sombra began typing into the Talon system, thanks to her back door, looking for anything related to it. Fortunately, there was only one result.

 _Incident report- Incident 314._

 _Last updated 5 years ago._

The file had the highest level of security on it, exactly the same as Widow's medical report. Clearly important. Once again, Sombra opened it. To her surprise, it was very short.

 _Incident 314- Widowmaker's memories returned for an unknown reason, assumed to be a failure in her conditioning. This resulted in her going on a rampage, killing several personnel before finally stopping and being detained. Asset too valuable to terminate, so reconditioned. Since then, no reported issues._

 _Conclusion- considered to be a defect in original conditioning. Original conditioning did not take into account biological and cybernetic upgrades performed on her, so likely cause. Widowmaker status now green, clear for service and fully loyal again._

 _Note- it is unknown why Widow snapped and began killing. Perhaps reaction to realising what had happened to her. Suggest monitoring._

"So, this has happened before... how did I miss this?" This told Sombra one thing though. Widow needed to get out and soon. She needed a real doctor that understood this, among other things. Sombra had been planning for such a situation. However, she considered she had at least another six months before it got this bad. She needed to update her plans and fast.

"Right. We're being transferred to another base soon for a mission. Widow could get away then... it's risky though... what other options are there?" Sombra began typing, thinking of every option she had. If the process followed what had happened before, Widow would snap at some point. Sombra knew the situation wasn't at that point yet.

But time was running out.

Talon board meeting

The high up members of Talon had all assembled in the board room, specially created for today's session. The meeting included a number of high level agents, major investors for Talon and the leader of Talon himself, Doomfist.

Some of Talon's investors weren't present today. Whenever Talon refered to 'investors' they actually meant CEO's of companies, as well as some other wealthy individuals who agreed with the goals of Talon.

A few minutes before the meeting started, Reaper walked in, not bothered about the attention he gained as he aggressively pushed open the door.

"You seem to be in a great mood today Reyes." Moira said, who was sitting at the board table, waiting for the meeting to start. Reaper simply looked over to her, not bothering to reply as he sat down. There was a pile of paper in front of her, clearly something she was going to bring up in the meeting.

A few moments after Reyes sat, Akande entered the room.

"Good afternoon." He said as he sat down. "Everyone who's coming is present, so let us begin. I want to start with the recent failure regarding Project Indigo. British special forces assaulted and captured the cargo vessel that was transporting the girl involved with Indigo. How exactly did they find that information out?"

"One of our sources in the UK stated that the intel came from King's Row." The man who spoke up was a Talon commander, with reports on intel and military operations in front of him. He wasn't very clued up on Talon's affairs, he just simply drew the short straw today.

"Has that source found out anything else?" Doomfist asked.

"No sir. In fact, we lost contact with that source over 5 hours ago. With all the police activity in the UK right now, it's likely they've been rumbled."

"That's... inconvenient... but sources can be replaced." Doomfist was disappointed with the situation. His attention returned to his previous question. "So how exactly did the intel on Indigo get out?"

The commander thought for a moment. "Perhaps one of the captured troopers broke?" The commander suggested.

"No chance." Reaper answered. "No one at King's Row knew about the cargo vessel but me. No way did anyone..."

"Actually..." Moira interupted "I put a file on the mobile battle computer that mentioned the cargo vessel. Guess the British put the rest of it together."

"Why would you put a file about Indigo on a computer destined for a battle zone?" Reaper asked, baffled by Moira's decision. "That's sloppy for you."

"Actually, I intended for such a situation to happen." Everyone was now staring at Moira, waiting for her explanation. "You see, I had the pleasure of visiting Project Indigo a few weeks ago. I wanted to check on it's progress. To my surprise the team had picked itself a subject, the girl, Jessica... or something like that. They said she was perfect for the role. However, I could tell that she was faking. She hadn't been indoctrinated like the science team though. So, I saved Talon about three months work and a large investment doomed to fail."

"So, instead of simply telling us this, you decided to lose us a cargo ship and all its personnel. On top of that, our link with Vishkar has probably been compromised." Reaper's words were met with nods across the board table, apart from Doomfist, who suspected Moira had something in place.

"Actually Reyes, this works to our advantage." Moira now stood up, walking around the table with her paperwork in hand. "Talon's objective is to instigate conflict. We are succeeding with this goal, yet Overwatch continue to be a thorn in our side. Let them have this minor victory, it is simply a minor setback. I've been doing some research and I've found the perfect subject for Project Indigo."

Moira picked out a piece of paper, placing it on the table.

"I present our new agent. Angela Ziegler. We capture her, condition her the same way we did with Widowmaker, then send her back. Overwatch won't be able to stop her. They don't have the stomach to stop her."

"And how exactly are you going to capture her? She's always surrounded by Overwatch agents?" Reaper asked, not fully convinced. Moira simply smiled.

"I know of a weakness. I'm putting a team together to get her attention. She'll react recklessly, they always do. Once we have her, we exploit this weakness. Also, by capturing Zeigler, I will be able to further my project of enhancing our troops. Her knowledge of nano tech will be invaluable for our cause."

Doomfist nodded, clearly agreeing with Moira's thought process. "Very well Moira. Proceed with this operation. How about the Vishkar issue?" He asked, suspecting she had thought of that as well.

"Simple, we send Reyes here over to one of Vishkar's facilities. He goes in, shoots the place up and steals something very valuable. This'll get some of the heat off them. I'd suggest killing off someone who's important in the company, that way, it'll hopefully throw the intelligence agencies." Moira had considered everything, Doomfist thought.

"Very well. Moira, continue with your operation. Sombra and Widowmaker will be transferred to your facility. Once their current mission is complete, they're all yours. Reyes, prepare yourself a team for a strike on a Vishkar facility, I'll personally prepare a plan of attack and identify targets."

With that, Moira and Reaper left the board room, while everyone else remained, finishing off the meeting. Reaper hated to admit it but sometimes Moira had some good ideas, she just didn't inform anyone of her plans half of the time. She also got him out of a two hour meeting, so she wasn't fully bad.

"You're reckless sometimes, you know that." Reaper said to her, as they left the boardroom.

"I prefer being called a chancer. With a little risk, the reward is far greater, you should know that." Reaper simply grunted in reply. He knew she was referring to him. Sure, he had extraordinary abilities thanks to her, yet it came at a high cost for him. Her methods weren't exactly ethical either, though he didn't really care about ethics as much anymore. As they separated, he wondered how far she would truly go to complete her objectives.

Later that evening

Widow had done exactly as Sombra said, staying in her quarters and keeping out of sight. She had kept herself occupied as best she could, reading one of the books she kept in her room. Unfortunately for her, she had read all the books here at least once, so it didn't keep her interest for very long.

After reading a few chapters, Widow decided to simply sleep until she was transferred. She placed the book back with the others and set her alarm clock for an hour before she left. This way, she'd be out of sight and she would avoid any more visions. Or at least that was what she hoped.

Widow was in a deep sleep, but her mind continued to work, causing her to toss and turn under the covers. Her breathing had gone from steady and calm, to heavy and erratic. If anyone saw Widow, they would see in seconds that it was no normal dream...

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Widow called out, for there to be no reply.

Widow was standing alone in a large room, cloaked in darkness. She looked around, trying to focus on something, anything... but she couldn't see anything. After a few minutes, she decided to walk forward, expecting to walk straight into a wall. To her surprise, there was no wall.

"How large is this place? Where am I?" There was nothing here. No one here. Just the dark and herself.

After walking for a short while, she finally saw someone. It was a woman, curled up into a ball to hide her face. Widow walked up to her, prepared for any situation.

"Hello." The woman didn't answer. "Are you okay?" The woman slowly looked up at Widow. As she did so, Widow was left speechless.

She was looking at herself, at Amelie. She looked nothing like her. Her skin was not cold like her own. Her eyes were still normal, not golden like they were now. Even her hair was different, shorter than it was now. Widow had simply let it grow. Amelie's was far shorter in comparison.

As she stared at Amelie, she spoke to her. "Help me. Please, help me."

Widow kneeled down next to Amelie. "Tell me what's happened."

"Someone's trying to kill me." Before Widow could reply, another person spoke up.

"That would be me."

Widow shot up, looking straight at the new individual. Once again, it looked like her, more like her than Amelie. Her skin was cold like hers but her hair was shorter and in a different style to her own. Her eyes were not gold either, instead, they were dark red.

Amelie tried to crawl back slightly, clearly in fear, but was stopped as webs shot up from the ground. They ensnared her legs and arms, leaving her unable to move.

"Who are you?" Widow asked the unknown woman.

"I have no fixed name." The red eyed Woman said, walking towards Widow. "Though, I like to call myself the Spider."

The Spider walked straight up to Widow, who didn't move. She had no idea what this was, but she was determined not to be intimidated by this version of herself. The Spider now placed one of her arms around Widow, walking her away from Amelie slightly.

"Now Widow, I know all about you. How you want to know who you really are. How you want to remember what really happened to Gerard." Widow stopped in her tracks. The Spider had her attention. She turned to face Widow, stroking her left cheek as she spoke again. "I can help you, show you who you truly are."

"Don't listen to her!" Amelie shouted out. She was quickly silenced, as a web covered her mouth. Another one wrapped itself across her forehead, pulling her head down to the ground. Amelie was left crying, fearing for her life.

Widow could do nothing but watch. It was like something was dictating her every move. "I know what your thinking. Why would you listen to me? She's clearly human and I'm clearly cruel and cold. Well, I'm not. I simply want to help you. The truth is that Amelie here is the real threat."

The Spider walked behind Widow, keeping an arm around her at all times. She leaned in close, whispering into Widow's right ear. "I will show you everything you want to know and more... if you do one thing for me."

Widow wanted to know her past, she needed to know. Yet this Spider clearly had another motive. "What do you want me to do?"

The Spider simply smiled, turning both of them to face Amelie. "Simple. Kill her." Upon hearing this, Amelie desperately tried to break free, her cries of fear muffled by the web covering her mouth.

"Why? She's my past." Widow stated.

The Spider's head was almost touching Widow's, her physical proximity was making Widow very uncomfortable. "Look at her Widow. She's weak, pathetic. She can't do anything except cry and scream in fear. Her emotions make her vulnerable. All she's doing is simply holding you back."

"She's scared. Anyone would be in her position." Widow explained, surprised that she actually said that.

"You wouldn't be. Me and you are so much stronger than her. We're braver, more cunning. She has nothing to give this world anymore. Amelie's time has come Widow. So go over there and choke the life out of her! End her miserable life! Then I will show you... everything."

The Spider purred the last word into Widow's ear. Widow hated this. She felt like something was trying to drag her over to Amelie. Even with this invisible force, Widow was able to resist the Spider's snare.

"I...I can't. She's me, my past. Killing her would mean I'd forget it all." Widow almost screamed it out.

"One of you must kill the other Widow. I'm simply making sure the right person survives." Widow simply stared forward. She couldn't kill herself... could she? What if The Spider was right. Maybe she could show her what she needed to know. All she had to do was kill one person.

"I...I don't know." This was the truth. Widow was so conflicted right now. It felt like something was edging her on, telling her to do it. However, there was another voice in her head, telling her not to listen to the Spider.

"Tell you what Widow." The Spider said, walking in front of her. "I'll give you some time to think it over. You'll find your way back to me once your ready. In the meantime, I'll keep Amelie company."

The sadistic smile the Spider gave almost sent a shiver down Widow's spike. The Spider now turned to Amelie, walking over to her before lying down on top of her.

"Ah Amelie. What shall I do with you..? I have an idea to pass the time, what to hear it?"

The Spider leaned to Amelie's ear, whispering to her. Amelie simply whimpered, fear in her eyes. Widow could do nothing but watch as The Spider began to work. Widow's vision started to blur and all she could hear was the muffled screams of Amelie as she left this world.

Widow suddenly sat up in her bed, covered in sweat and breathing heavily. She never experienced something like that before. In fact, Widow didn't even know if she even had a dream before. There was no way she could sleep now.

She looked over to her alarm clock and saw that she had little over an hour and a half before she awoke anyway. So she got up, walked over to the shower and switched it on. She never bothered wearing any clothes to bed, so she just stepped inside. Once again, she slowly turned up the temperature, letting the warm water energise her body.

"I'll just read something, or get ready really slowly... Yeah, I'll be alright... just need to work out what that was." Widow said to herself, thinking she must be losing her mind. She had to work this out and soon.


	5. Holiday From Hell

**Holiday From Hell**

Egypt- The Temple of Anubis

Another long shift over. Fareeha Amari had just finished her shift and was currently packing her equipment away. She placed her weapon away first, then moved to her locker and opened it. She took off her armour, looking at it for a few moments before placing it inside.

Her thoughts turned to her mother. The two of them had very different ideas about Fareeha's future. While her mother went on missions, she usually ended up staying over at the Overwatch base, meaning she knew Jack and Reyes well. They even went along with her games while not on missions.

She always wanted to make her mother proud. This was what sparked her want to follow in her mother's footsteps, to join Overwatch. Ana seemed to have different ideas however, always telling her that the military wasn't for her and, as she got older, distancing herself from Fareeha. Whenever they saw each other they ended up arguing about Fareeha's future plans. Then that one mission happened, the day she never returned.

After that day, Angela was the one who comforted her and kept her going. That was the reason they were such good friends now. Time passed and Overwatch was disbanded, yet she still wanted to follow her mother's example. So she joined up with Helix security and had managed to stop Anubis from breaking out.

She had managed to keep in contact with Angela over the years, the two remaining good friends. She had also met Lena, after she insisted on coming along with Ang the one time. For the most part she was happy with her life, though she could never bring herself to believe that her mother was dead and always had the suspicion she was alive.

Then, six months ago, her life changed. Her suspicion was proved correct as she received a letter from Ana. Shortly afterwards, she found her. She saw her mother with her own eyes. That day she learned something. Despite what she thought, it turned out that her mother was always proud of her, proud that she did what she wanted. The two of them were now much closer than before.

Fareeha snapped out of her thoughts, closing the locker and locking it. She said her goodbye's to her colleagues before leaving the facility. It wasn't common knowledge that the facility existed, so she always had to take a discreet way out. Once she was away from the main facility, Fareeha began to head back to her apartment. She had managed to get a few days off, so during her break she decided to ask Ang if she wanted to visit and was glad that she agreed. It would be nice to catch up once again.

She was currently on her way home, not knowing the exact time Ang was arriving. If she followed her usual routine, Ang would book into a nearby hotel, before walking over to her house. Fareeha was planning to get home, get out of her work clothes before Ang arrived and then the two of them could go out for the evening.

However, that plan quickly became obsolete as she reached the entrance to the area. Leaning against the wall was Angela, dressed casually in a pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt. Fareeha also noticed that her hair was down, instead of tied up like it usually was. She walked over to Angela, who leaned up and walked towards her friend, giving her a small hug.

"Hey Fareeha, it's been too long." Angela said.

"Indeed it has." Fareeha replied as the two friends ended the hug. "You have your hair down for a change."

"Yeah, thank Lena for this one. She said I needed to let my hair down once in a while, so I decided to listen." Angela joked.

"I guess she didn't mean it literally?"

"Well... not exactly." The two women chuckled before Fareeha spoke again.

"It looks nice. You should leave it down more often."

"Thanks." Angela smiled at the compliment. "So, any idea what to do?" She asked, expecting that Fareeha had some sort of plan for the night.

"Well, first we go to my place so I can get out of my work clothes." This was met with another small chuckle from Angela. "Then we could go out for dinner. There's a new restaurant that's opened since your last visit and it's really good." Fareeha suggested.

"Sounds like a plan. Lead the way."

The two women began the trip to Fareeha's house, fortunately only a small distance away. Once they arrived, Fareeha unlocked the door and headed upstairs.

"I'll just be a few minutes." She said to Angela. This left Ang alone with her thoughts. Something that Lena had said on the dropship was bugging her.

Lena had always been suggesting potential partners for her, yet Angela knew that she was always joking. At one point, everyone thought that she was dating Genji, something that the both of them repeatedly denied. Genji was a close friend and was grateful for what she did for him, yet he was not interested in her, something that suited Angela just fine. She simply wasn't interested in anyone and frankly, her work kept her too occupied to even think of dating.

Recently however, Lena had become very persistent with the idea that Fareeha would be a perfect match for her. At first she simply dismissed it as another one of Lena's jokes but now... now she wasn't too sure.

"Fareeha's a good friend and we get on really well." Angela thought to herself. "That doesn't mean anything though. Fareeha doesn't feel that way about me anyway... does she?"

Angela never had time to answer her question, as she heard Fareeha walking down the stairs. She was now wearing a similar getup to Angela, a pair of black jeans and a grey top. "Okay, I'm good. Ready to go?" She asked Angela.

Ang kept her thoughts to herself, smiling as she answered. "Of course. After you."

Once Fareeha locked up, the two of them walked towards the restaurant. Unknown to both of them however, they were being watched. A hooded figure stayed out of sight, reaching for a phone in his pocket and dialing a number

"Ma'am, it seems we're in luck. The VIP is here, clearly visiting the target." The figure said.

"How fortunate. We're an hour out, continue to follow them and report their location to us, we'll do the rest."

"Yes Ma'am." The figure placed their phone away, walking after the two women. They weren't too far ahead of him, catching up quickly. He kept himself hidden, using anything he could to make him look less conspicuous. In reality he didn't need to do this, the two women weren't keeping an eye out for trouble. Eventually after a 10 minute walk, they entered a busy restaurant. The figure remained outside, sitting down on a bench for a few minutes while he surveyed the area. Once he was satisfied, he stood back up, pulling out his phone and walking out of sight of the restaurant, while keeping it in his view.

"They've entered a restaurant. It's a perfect location for the assault."

"How busy is it?"

"Very. They'll be there a while."

"Excellent. We have your location, hold position and report if they move again."

1 Hour Later

Angela and Fareeha had just finished their meals and they were currently looking through the menu again, considering if they wanted dessert or not. A waiter approached the table to refill their glasses, filling the two empty glasses with a red wine. As Angela looked over the menu, her thoughts once again consumed her. She couldn't stop thinking about what Lena said. Thing was, she didn't even know why this was bugging her as much as it was.

"Hey, what's up?" Fareeha said, noticing that something was bothering Angela.

"Hmm... Oh nothing... just wondering what to have."

Fareeha wasn't convinced, giving Angela a sceptical look. "Okay, What's really the matter?"

Angela sighed, knowing that Fareeha wasn't going to drop this. "Honestly... something Lena said to me earlier is really bugging me. You know how she always jokes about my love life?"

"Or lack of one." Fareeha joked.

Angela smiled. "Well, she's been very persistent recently, constantly suggesting one person in particular. I can't tell if she's joking or if she's being serious..."

Fareeha took a sip of her wine. "Well, maybe she's trying to tell you something. Have you ever been on a date?"

"No. I've always been focused on my work so I've never had time to think about it. When I joined Overwatch it didn't get any better." Angela replied, taking a drink from her glass.

"Then maybe you should listen to her. She's clearly seen something you haven't." Angela dwelled on those words. After a few seconds she nodded her head.

"Yeah, maybe she has. I'll speak to her about it, find out if she's joking or not... Anyway, enough about my troubles, how's everything going for you?" Angela asked, wanting to change the subject. She didn't want Fareeha to find out she was the person Lena referred to.

"Yeah, everything's going well. Me and Mum are getting along much better. She said she'll visit soon, once she has a moment."

"That's good. I'm glad that..." Angela trailed off as she noticed something outside the restaurant. Fareeha, seeing Angela focus on the window, turned around as well. People were running away from the area. Both of them quickly realised that something bad was about to happen.

"We need to go." Fareeha said, taking control of the situation.

Before either of them could make a move, there was a small explosion, shattering the large glass window in the process. Within seconds, a group of heavily armed troopers entered the restaurant, pushing over some of the customers that were trying to escape. Fareeha took ahold of Angela's hand and pulled her to the back of the room, taking cover behind the bar.

"Come on out Mercy and we won't harm your friend." One of the troopers said, aiming towards the bar.

"The only time I don't have a weapon." Fareeha grumbled, as she peeked our and saw three armed troopers aiming at the bar. They were clearly only after them, since other customers were mostly being ignored. On top of that, she could clearly see the Talon logo on the troopers uniform. When Fareeha turned around to face Angela, intending to tell her that there was no way out, she was met with the sight of a pistol.

"I keep one with me now. Force of habit thanks to Overwatch." Angela explained, keeping her voice down.

"A habit that may of just saved our lives." Fareeha replied in a whisper, taking the pistol and peeking out again, choosing a target. "Okay, I need you to pretend to surrender. That'll give me an opportunity to attack. Once I fire, run for the kitchen and out the back door, I'll be right behind you." Angela nodded her head, breathing in heavily before she spoke up.

"Okay. I'm coming out. I'm sorry Fareeha, there's no other way." She announced, pretending to sound defeated. Fareeha winked at her, signalling that she was ready. Angela stood up from behind the bar, holding her hands up in a fake surrender. As one of the troops moved forward to restrain her, Fareeha jumped up, firing at the trooper and killing him with a single headshot. The other two troopers moved into cover, one narrowly avoiding a shot from Fareeha.

With the troopers in cover, Angela took the opportunity to run, sprinting into the kitchen while Fareeha covered her. Once she was clear, Fareeha followed her, firing a few shots to keep the troopers in cover. She ran through the kitchen and out the building through the back door, joining Angela, who was waiting for her.

"Where now?" Angela asked.

"Follow me. We need to get to Anubis, we'll be safe there." Fareeha took the lead, Angela following right behind her. They ran for their lives, constantly avoiding Talon forces that were prowling the now deserted streets. Eventually, they came face to face with the leader of the troops. They were wearing some sort of mask, hiding their identity and disguising their voice.

"There they are! Get them!"

The two women quickly ducked into an alleyway, running through as the troops gave chase. One trooper managed to get close, almost grabbing Angela before he was shot in the head by Fareeha.

"You have your mothers aim."

"You expected any less."

They were close to the Temple now, yet the Talon troops were still coming. Fareeha now reached for her phone, dialing one of her colleagues.

"I'm inbound to the facility, I need backup now!" She commanded.

"What? Why do you need backup?" Her colleague asked. Before Fareeha could answer, a Talon trooper appeared from an alley, aiming his rifle at the two women. Fareeha reacted quickly, aiming and firing the pistol at the enemy. The trooper dropped to the floor, 3 shots to his chest killing him.

"That answer your question?" Fareeha now shouted down the phone. This got the message across.

"We'll be ready. Get here as quick as you can Fareeha. Stay safe." Fareeha now put her phone away, taking hold of Angela's hand again as they headed towards the temple. They ran for a short distance, keeping out of the streets as best they could. Eventually though, they both realised something.

The closer they got to the temple, the less Talon troops they came across. The two women stopped for a moment, looking around the area.

"Where are they? They wouldn't give in that easily." Angela said, growing concerned.

"I don't know." Fareeha replied, looking in every direction and even to the rooftops. "We're not far from the temple, we need to keep moving."

The two began to move once again, passing a now abandoned shop. As they ran past it, something rolled into their path. Fareeha realised immediately what it was.

"FLASHBANG!"

Fareeha reacted to the threat, grabbing Angela and pushing her into the store, before they were both blinded.

When Angela finally recovered, she was inside the store, alone. She slowly stood up, rubbing her eyes as the ringing left her ears.

"Come on out Angela! We have your friend!" The person who spoke had their voice distorted, hiding their true identity. Yet this wasn't the first thing on Angela's mind.

She quickly looked around the store, realising that Fareeha was indeed no where to be seen. She quickly moved to the edge of the doorway, peaking out and seeing exactly what she feared. Fareeha was on her knees with a rifle aimed at her head. The trooper with the mask she had seen earlier was pacing in front of her, with their arms behind their back. After a few seconds, they spoke again.

"Prehaps you didn't hear me, so let me say it again. We have your friend. Surrender and we wont harm her."

"Don't do it Ang!" Fareeha's defiance was rewarded with a rifle to her head, the owner ordering her to shut up. Angela, against what her heart was telling her to do, listened to Fareeha, staying behind cover and remaining hidden.

The masked trooper, which Angela deduced was the commander, grew impatient. After waiting a few more moments, the commander sighed, turning around to face the troopers behind them. She walked up to Fareeha, patting her on the head as she passed by.

"I guess she isn't here... Kill the prisoner. We don't need her."

"NO!" Angela ran out into the open, not thinking of the repercussions of her actions. The commander now turned around once again.

"Oh. Seems you are here. That's a surprise." They sarcastically commented.

Angela sighed in defeat. "I give up. Let her go and I'll come willingly."

"That wasn't the deal. I said we wouldn't harm her." The commander now pulled out a syringe, injecting Fareeha with some sort of serum. Within a few seconds she passed out, one of the Talon troopers catching her. The commander now walked forward, stopping a mere few inches away from Angela.

"Relax. She'll be perfectly fine."

"What do you want?" Angela asked the commander, trying to act defiant. Talon worked on fear. If she stayed strong, they wouldn't win.

"Both you and the other girl."

"Why?"

"Your going to help us Mercy. She's however is your... motivation." Angela shuddered at what the commander meant by 'motivation.' The commander now pulled out another syringe, grabbing onto Mercy as she tried to back away slightly. She slowly injected Mercy, the effects of the serum beginning almost instantly.

"You don't act like the other Talon commanders." Angela asked, fighting her sudden drowsiness. "Who are you?"

The Talon commander simply chuckled in response. "It is not my preference to see to matters personally... but in your case, I'll make an exception. You'll find out soon enough." That was the last think Angela heard before she was too tired to stand. She passed out, falling into the ready arms of the commander.

"Sleep well Angela. We have a busy day tomorrow. Load these two onto the dropship and make for the facility."

Several hours later

Angela was the first to awake, finding herself lying on a cold, concrete floor. She slowly sat up, looking around the room she was in. It was a very small cell, with no windows and one bright light bulb hanging down from the ceiling. There was a large, metal door which Angela guessed was locked, so she didn't bother trying to open it. Angela soon realised that she wasn't alone, seeing another person lying near the door. She crawled over as they woke up, hoping that they were alright.

"Fareeha. You okay?"

Fareeha slowly looked up, opening her eyes and seeing Angela. "Yeah, I'm alright. You okay? And Where are we?"

"I don't know, but wherever we are it's not good."

"Ang, are you okay?" Fareeha asked, sitting up and holding Angela's hand.

"Honestly, I'm scared Fareeha. This exact situation has happened before. This was how they created Widowmaker..." Angela trailed off, her voice shaking as she did.

Fareeha responded by hugging her. "Hey, we'll be okay. I'm sure your friends will find us. We just need to stay strong." Angela nodded, regaining her composure.

As the two women comforted each other, the metal door suddenly unlocked, taking both occupants of the room by surprise. They quickly seporated, looking towards the door as it slowly slid open. A lone woman stepped in, the door quickly closing behind her. She had some unusual device on that clearly had a dark purpose. Angela was left speechless, instantly recognising the visitor.

"Moira?"

"Hello Angela. Have a nice nap?" Moira replied, kneeling down in front of her.

"What? What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Angela began to put the pieces together, realising who the commander back in Egypt was.

"It was you in Egypt! How could you? How could you turn on Overwatch?"

Moira simply chuckled before standing up, folding her hands behind her back and pacing back and forth. "Overwatch was doomed a long time ago. I could never finish my research because they weren't willing to take the necessary steps to achieve victory. Talon meanwhile are far more willing to help me."

As Moira paced, Angela caught a glimpse of her right hand. "What did you do to your hand?"

Moira moved her hands back in front of her, raising her right hand. "You mean this? Well it's quite simple really. One hand gives. The other... takes away." Moira aimed her biotic grasp at Fareeha, a purple beam connecting to her and beginning to drain her life force. As she flinched in pain, Moira let out a sadistic laugh, sending a chill down Angela's spine.

"Okay Moira, you've made your point." Moira didn't stop.

"Moira, stop! You're killing her!" Angela said, reaching up to try and stop her, only for Moira to grab her throat and push her back down.

"Beg Angela. Beg for her life." Moira said, her sadistic smile showing no remorse.

"Moira...Please..." Angela pleaded. With that, Moira stopped. She now swapped hands, releasing biotic energy from her other hand and healing Fareeha. Clearly, she wanted them both alive. Once she finished, Moira turned to Angela, kneeling down next to her.

"Now, your going to help me finish my project. If not, then I'm sure I'll find a use for your friend here... and I'm guessing you know what that means?"

Angela simply nodded her head. "What then? What happens once it's done?"

Moira simply leaned next to Angela's ear, whispering to her. "I've heard Talon has plans for you two. Tell me, do you like the colour blue?"

Angela went wide eyed, crawling back slightly from Moira. "No. I won't do it. I won't become that!" She said, defiantly.

"We won't break!" Fareeha added. Even without hearing what Moira said, she knew it was bad.

Moira simply chuckled, standing up and walking to the door, turning to face the two prisoners.

"I think you will. Everyone has a weakness and we have both of yours." Both prisoners looked at each other, worried with what Moira was about to say. "It's you two. Neither of you could stand seeing the other harmed. You care for each other too much... even if you can't see it yourselves."

As Moira went to leave, Angela spoke up.

"You're sick Moira. You've become evil, twisted by your own personal gain. That hand of yours, it's inspired by Reaper's abilities, I can tell. You've taken my greatest failure and turned it into a way of taunting me."

"Your greatest..?" Moira suddenly let out a loud laugh. "You think you created Reaper? Turned Reyes into what he is now?" She now walked back to Angela, leaning down in front of her once again. "I did it. I gave him those powers. I made him into what he is today. All you did was give him his looks."

Amgela couldn't believe what she just heard. "No. No you couldn't have... it was my fault, it was always my fault..." She looked up at Moira, realising that she was telling the truth. Once she saw her realisation, Moira walked to the door, it opening and letting her out before slamming shut and locking again.

Once they were alone, Fareeha crawled over to Angela, who was still sitting in the exact same position.

"Ang talk to me." Fareeha said, wrapping an arm around her.

"It wasn't my fault. For years I thought I created him... I thought I was responsible... I didn't... I couldn't..." Angela broke down, years of guilt came flooding back. Fareeha simply held onto Angela, letting her cuddle into her.

"It's okay... you couldn't have known." Fareeha said softly, comforting her.

This moment gave her time to think. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew that Moira was right. Angela meant too much to her to allow her to be harmed. If she could stop this in any way, she'd take it. She wondered if this meant anything though. When she saw how Angela reacted, all she felt was anger. She felt as if she had a duty to protect her. Did she even feel the same way? Now wasn't the time to think about this.

"What did she tell you? What did she whisper to you?" Fareeha asked, trying to change the subject.

Angela looked up, wiping her eyes. "They want to turn us into Widowmaker..." She cuddled back into Fareeha. "Faree... I'm scared."

She sounded so vulnerable. She had never heard her that way before. "I know. I am too. We need to stay strong, whatever they throw at us, whatever they do to us. We need to stay strong. Lena will find us."

Angela smiled. Even in this situation, despite the odds against them, she believed her. "What about your mother?"

"Oh if she finds out I expect half of Talon to be gone in a week." Her joke managed a small chuckle from Angela. They cuddled together for what felt like hours, each glad of the others presence. In reality it was only ten minutes. Without warning, the door unlocked, beginning to slide open slowly.

"Stay strong." Angela confidently said, preparing herself.

"Stay strong." Fareeha repeated, the two women letting each other go as four troopers walked in. They were quickly grabbed, pulled out of their small cell and lead through the base. They could hear screams of fear and pain, all but confirming their fears.

They both knew what was coming.

London- king's Row- The next day

The sun shone into Lena's bedroom, bringing life and warmth into the room. Lena and Emily were fast asleep, both cuddling after their lovemaking last night. Lena was the first to wake up, slowly opening her eyes and shifting slightly. She looked over to an alarm clock, placed on a counter to the right of her bed and saw that the time was 10:38 in the morning. She decided that today wouldn't be wasted. After all, she only had a few days before she needed to return to Gibraltar.

Lena turned to her left and rolled over to face her girlfriend, who still had one of her arms wrapped around Lena. "Em, time to get up." She said softly, shaking her very slightly in an attempt to wake her. Emily's eyes soon opened, focusing on Lena.

"Morning Lena." Emily said, still waking up.

"Morning beautiful, sleep well?" Lena replied, full of life. It amazed Emily how she could wake up so fast in comparison to her.

"Very. I think you wore me out last night." Emily replied, gaining a chuckle from Lena. "So, what's the plan for today?"

Lena thought for a few seconds. "Well, how about we put some clothes on first, then just have a lazy day in front of the telly? Order in a pizza tonight?"

"Sounds perfect." The two lovers leaned in, sharing a deep kiss, before they both climbed out of bed. They both put on some loungewear and Lena went over to check her accelerator, while Emily walked into the living room, turning on the TV.

Lena checked the power levels for her accelerator, making sure it had charged correctly overnight. She knew that this wasn't necessary, Winston was very careful when building it and regularly checked it. Lena simply got into the habit of checking it herself every day. Once she was satisfied, she moved into the living room, leaving her accelerator plugged in until she needed it.

Emily was sat on the couch, the TV paused on the news. "Lena, you need to see this." Once Lena was sat next to her, Emily pressed play.

 _"An emergency meeting of the United Nations will take place later today in response to the increasing attacks by the terrorist group known as Talon. The UK is expected to push for further co-operation at combating this threat. In a speech earlier this morning, the Prime Minister had this to say."_

 _"The increasing attacks from Talon are now the greatest threat to national security and global peace. They aim to spread terror by making people feel threatened in their own homes. I say that enough is enough. I promise the people of the United Kingdom that we will do everything in our power to stop this menace once and for all. I call on all the nations of the world to stand with us and help take this threat down."_

 _"Raids across the country have followed this speech, with police raiding over 20 locations suspected to be linked with Talon."_

At this point, Emily paused the TV once again. "So... the world's responding."

"This is good." Lena replied, nodding her head at the sudden development. "The world needs to do something. Overwatch can't be there for everyone."

"Do you think... the Petras act?"

"Maybe. We'll just have to wait and see." Lena thought for a moment. The Petras act was the only thing holding Overwatch back. If the UN voted to remove it... She shook those thoughts out of her head, instead focusing on her day with Emily. "So, what about breakfast?" She asked, an innocent smile creeping across her face.

Emily stood up, walking into the kitchen and looking in a few cupboards. "I think there's enough stuff here to make something."

"Such as?"

"Wait and see." Lena groaned, causing Emily to chuckle slightly before she began making pancakes for the two of them. 10 minutes later, Emily emerged with 2 plates of pancakes, topped with chopped banana and melted chocolate. Lena's face lit up immediately, taking her plate from Emily as soon as she was close enough.

"Nice one luv." Lena said, kissing Emily's cheek as she sat down.

The two of them sat and ate, watching the TV and occasionally talking about events on the news. Once they were done, Lena placed their plates on a side table and then wrapped her arms around Emily, resting her head on Emily's shoulder. They cuddled together for about 5 minutes before Lena's phone rang. She shot up and ran back to her bedroom, searching the pockets of her trousers and finding it.

Upon seeing that the caller was Winston, she promptly answered it, walking back to the couch and sitting down again.

"Hey big guy. What's up?"

"Lena... I need you to come back to Gibraltar."

"Well I don't know. I'm really busy right now." Lena joked, winking at Emily and gaining a small chuckle.

"Lena... it's Angela." Lena's cheerful manner immediately disappeared, a serious one taking its place.

"What's happened?"

"Talon sent us a video... they have her and Fareeha... I've sent a dropship to you, it'll be there soon."

"Okay... Thanks Winston." Lena ended the call, placing her phone on the couch. Emily noticed her change in attitude and knew something bad had happened.

"Hey, what's happened?" She asked.

"Talon has Angela... It's happening again Em." Lena was on the verge of a breakdown. One of her best friends was being held captive by Talon. Emily quickly hugged Lena, trying to calm her down.

"You'll find her."

"But what if we're too late. This is exactly what happened when Widowmaker was created. They want us to react but we need to find them. I can't let what they did to Widow happen to Ang, I won't." Lena started to breath heavily, putting her hands through her hair as she stressed out over the situation.

"Lena!" Emily shouted, snapping Lena out of her thoughts. Emily turned Lena to face her, looking straight into her eyes. "This won't help Angela. She needs you to be strong. You can't act out of anger or desperation. As long as your focused, you will find her."

Lena nodded shortly afterwards. "You're right... and I think I know where to start, or rather who to start with." Emily knew exactly what to say to her in every situation. She was thinking of any possible leads and anyone who could help. "I'm sorry that I need to go..."

"Lena don't worry about it. Angela needs you right now. Just remember, I'm here if you need me."

Lena leaned forward and kissed Emily. "I love you Em."

"I love you too." As soon as Emily replied, Lena ran to her bedroom, taking her accelerator off charge before searching for her clothes. She also tried to call Ross, hoping that she could call in that second favour, however there was no answer. She guessed he was busy, so she decided to try again when she was on the dropship.

Watchpoint Gibraltar- 2 hours later.

Lena's dropship was on it's final approach to Gibraltar. She was still trying to contact Ross but still hadn't managed to get through. As the Watchpoint came into view, Lena put her phone away and prepared to disembark. As soon as the dropship landed and the doors opened, Lena was blinking across the base, heading to Winston's lab as quickly as she could.

When she entered the lab, everyone was standing around Winston's computer. Everyone except Genji, who was no where to be seen.

"Where's Genji?" Lena asked, surprised he wasn't present.

"He left for Japan a while ago. Said he needed to go find someone." McCree answered, lighting a cigar.

Lena now walked over to Winston's computer, seeing a video ready to play. She walked over to it slowly. "Show me."

"Are you sure Lena?" Winston asked. "It's... graphic."

"I need to see it Winston..." Lena replied. She honesty didn't want to but something inside of her was telling her she needed to.

Winston nodded slowly, pressing play on the video. Mei, having already seen it once, walked away, not wanting to see it again.

The video started with Angela and Fareeha tied to chairs, their arms behind their backs. Two groups of Talon soldiers walked in, surrounding the two women. They were powerless to act as the soldiers began beating them, causing a number of cuts and bruises to both captives. As the barrage of attacks continued, a new person entered the room, wearing an apron and carrying a tray of knifes. Both women were left bleeding, Fareeha having to spit out a small amount of blood that ran into her mouth.

The other troopers now left, leaving this new man alone with the two captives. He picked up a small knife, walking over to Fareeha first and stroking her hair. He proceeded to make a number of small cuts on her arms, not enough for any permanent injuries but just enough to cause pain and make her wince. Once he was done with Fareeha, he walked over to Angela doing the exact same to her.

Angela's self healing quickly repaired the damage caused, simply aggravating the torturer. He stopped and simply stared at Angela, before stabbing the knife into her right leg. She screamed out in pain, causing Fareeha to try and get up, only to be held in place by her restraints. The knife was held in place for a few minutes and Angela was on the verge of crying due to the pain. Eventually, the knife was removed and Angela's self healing repaired the wound.

Once the man had finished his assault, four more men in aprons walked in, holding two large buckets of water. Angela and Fareeha were untied and thrown forward, before being dragged to the buckets and their heads forced into them. They were held in place for a few moments before being held back up, the two of them coughing out water, desperate for air. This was repeated another four times before someone deemed they had enough. As the two captives were dragged out the room, back towards their cell, the screen went black. Five words appeared afterwards.

 _Message received and understood Overwatch?_

With that, the video ended. Lena was left in tears, hugging Winston immediately afterwards.

"Why? Why them? They don't deserve that." She asked, barely able to get her words out.

"I know. We'll find them Lena, I promise you." Winston replied, comforting Lena.

"Winston, we don't have anything to go off." McCree interrupted.

Just after McCree said this, Lena's phone went off. She quickly wiped away her tears and looked at the caller ID. It was Ross, so she answered the call, putting it on speaker.

"Hey Ross..." Before she could explain what she needed, Ross interrupted.

"I have intel from Egypt for you, I'm sending it now." Lena gave her phone to Winston and he connected it to his computer. A picture of a hooded man appeared shortly afterwards. Athena went to work analysing it.

"Who's this?" Lena asked.

"This man has been seen hanging around the Temple of Anubis for a while. He was spotted following two women the other day. Approximately an hour later, Talon forces moved in and kidnapped them. From what the Egyptians have told us, this guy's still hanging around the temple. Might be a good place to start."

"How did you get hold of all this?"

"Egypt's authorities gave it to us. A lot of countries have started working together on Talon. No matter the outcome of the UN meeting, it's a good sign."

"I'm guessing you know who one of the victims is?" Lena asked.

"That's the reason we're talking. I won't count this as a favour, so I still owe you one."

"Thanks Ross... I don't suppose you can lend a hand?"

"Sorry Lena, no can do. I've got my own work to do. The world's changing and we've got to be ready. Good luck." With that, Ross hung up.

"At least we have something now." Torb said.

"Winston, I want to go to Egypt. If I can find this guy, I might be able to get some information from him."

"Lena, you're not threatening enough, you won't get anything from him. Me on the other hand... I'm former Blackwatch. I can make him crack." McCree said, Reinhardt reluctantly nodding in agreement.

Lena knew that McCree was right, out of all of them, he was in the best position to make this guy talk. "Okay, me and McCree will head to Egypt to find this guy, find out what we can, then we'll go from there."

"Sounds good. I'll contact anyone who we've worked with before. We need all the help we can get if we're going to find them." Winston replied. Lena nodded, giving Winston a quick hug, before she ran out the lab, McCree following close by.

"Winston..." Reinhardt began, the video still present in his mind. "We need to contact Jack and Ana. They have her daughter and we really need their help."

Winston thought for a few seconds. He had no real way of contacting them, so he'd have to go old school. "Athena, search everything you can for any trace of Soldier 76."

"Yes Winston."

Talon Facility- Unknown location

Angela was thrown back into the cell that her and Fareeha were given, just managing to stop herself from hitting the floor face first. Fareeha followed her shortly afterwards, landing on top of Angela. The troopers laughed at the two of them, before the door slammed shut. The two women sat up slowly, sliding over to the wall and sitting there. They were both covered in dried blood and sweat and were both extremely tired.

"You okay Ang? They put you through a lot more than me." Fareeha put an arm around Angela, who responded by leaning into Fareeha, cuddling her.

"Yes... I can heal any injuries they give me. I'm more worried about you though. Are you okay?"

Fareeha moved her head from side to side. "A little sore but I'm alright."

The two of them simply stayed still, cuddling one another.

"They sent that video to Overwatch." Angela eventually said, worried about what their next move would be. "It's going to get a lot worse for us isn't it?"

"Honestly, yes I think it will." Fareeha reluctantly replied.

"You're the only thing stopping me having a nervous breakdown."

Fareeha chuckled. "Feelings mutual. Look, we need to keep each other going, keep ourselves sane. So every time they do something to us, we have to talk to each other or hug like we are now, anything that keeps us ourselves."

"Okay Faree. I'm sorry you ended up dragged into this."

"It's okay Ang, you need me right now and there's no place I'd rather be."

Angela smiled upon hearing this. "Thank you."

"They'll find us Ang. We just have to stay strong."

 _Authors note_ -

 _I just wanted to say thanks for reading this far and to anyone who's given feedback so far. I'm glad to see that the story has gained people's interest. Also I've been looking back through previous chapters and begun correcting mistakes and grammar problems I've noticed. I make sure to check everything I write but I've not been as thorough as I'd like to be recently, something I'm now correcting. Sorry about that._

 _Anyway, once again thank you for reading and see you in the next chapter :)_


	6. Old Soldiers

**Old Soldiers**

 _You gave her the information?_

 _Yes Ma'am, though I'm not comfortable lying to her._

 _I understand your concern Captain, but right now we need to let them be. The world is changing faster than anyone cares to admit and Overwatch currently has the best chance against Talon._

Boston- United States- 00:26am

The city was deathly quiet, only a few people were moving around at this time in the morning. A young man and woman walked through the city, heading towards a group of apartments. They seemed like any normal couple, heading home after a night out. However, neither one of them noticed someone following them, keeping themselves hidden as the couple advanced.

Eventually, a man dressed in a black coat and hat stepped out from the shadows, holding a pistol at the couple. The second person ran up behind them, aiming another weapon at them. All the couple could do was panic, seeing no way out from the ambush.

"You two are coming with us." The man in the coat announced. However, before anyone could react, the second armed man fell down, a large dart imbedded into his neck. Upon seeing this the remaining armed man turned to flee, only to be met with a fist to the face. With both armed men down, the couple laid eyes on their saviour and it wasn't who they expected.

The legendary Soldier 76 stood in front of them, hitting his target again with his rifle to make sure he was unconscious. He looked up at the couple, who stepped back slightly as his gaze met theirs.

"Thank you." The man said.

"What did they want?" Soldier 76 asked.

"He said they wanted us to go with them." The woman answered, pointing at the unconscious man below 76.

Soldier looked at the man below him for a few moments, before shifting his gaze back up to the couple. "Here's a bit of advice. Be aware of your surroundings. Lots of people prey on the unaware. Now go." With that, the young couple departed, quickly walking away from the area. Another woman walked up to Soldier once they were gone, a rifle slung around her arm.

"So, any idea why they targeted those two?" Ana asked, checking her sleep dart gun in case of anyone else stumbled across them.

"Not a clue. Let's ask this one." Morrison replied, kneeling down on the man below him who was beginning to wake up. Once he did, he desperately tried to escape, only to be held in place by Morrison.

Morrison now pulled out his pistol, placing the barrel next to the mans head. He immediately stopped struggling.

"Why did you target that couple?" Morrison demanded to know.

"They were an easy target. A client wants a couple to be videoed being beaten up, sent one of their own to oversee it. No idea why, like I care really." The man replied, slightly on edge thanks to the gun to his head.

"Where were you going to take them?"

"Yeah, like I'm going to tell you." He replied, slightly more confident than before. His answer was met with a bullet to his knee. He cried out in pain for a few moments, before Morrison placed his hand over his mouth, keeping him quiet. Any confidence he had quickly vanished.

"Wrong answer. I know your client is Talon, so tell me what I want to know." This was enough to get the man to speak.

"Okay. Okay. We were taking them over there, top floor." He pointed up to a derelict apartment block, only a few streets away. Now Morrison had all he needed.

"Thanks." He pulled the trigger, killing the man instantly. He stood up and walked to the other man, firing his weapon and killing him as well.

"Was that necessary Jack?" Ana asked, clearly not fond of killing unarmed prisoners.

"They were part of a criminal gang who's working for Talon. They had it coming." As Morrison placed his pistol away, a nearby phone began to ring. Both Morrison and Ana looked across the street to see a small payphone, waiting for someone to answer it. The phone stopped ringing at one point, falling quiet for a few seconds before ringing again.

"That might be for us." Ana said. "Better go answer it."

"So you want me to just walk over there and answer it, even though it could be a trap?"

Ana looked up and down the street a few times before turning back to Jack.

"Yep. No ones around, so it's not likely a trap."

Morrison simply sighed as he walked over to the phone. He checked it over before grabbing the phone and slowly placing it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Morrison." Jack instantly recognised the voice.

"Winston? How did you get this number, let alone find me?"

"Look to your left and up."

Morrison did just that, seeing a small CCTV camera facing him. He quickly connected the dots.

"Athena?" The camera moved up and down, imitating a nod. "Very funny. So what do you want?"

Winston breathed in, thinking very carefully about what he was going to say. "It's Fareeha."

Morrison tensed up, looking over at Ana before answering. For Winston to contact him regarding her couldn't be good news. "What's happened?"

"Angela went over to visit her in Egypt... Talon captured both of them... they're torturing them. We have some intel but not much."

Morrison thought for a moment. This was not good, Ana's daughter was in harms way and there was nothing they could do.

"What do you need?" He asked, knowing what Ana's reaction would be.

"We need you, both of you. I know you don't want to rejoin but..."

"We're following a source on a criminal gang here in the US. They're working for Talon and I have a suspicion why, but I can't be sure. We'll finish up here first and go from there. I'll contact you when we're ready."

Morrison told Winston any details he needed to know, including the number of a phone he recently acquired, before hanging up the call. He turned back to Ana and slowly walked across the steeet. He had no idea how to explain this one to her.

"So, who was it?"

"Ana... it was about Fareeha..."

Ana went wide eyed, tensing up as alarm bells went off in her head. "What's happened?" Morrison didn't reply, his head sinking slightly. "Jack. Tell me!" Ana said, her tone now more forceful.

"Winston told me Angela went over to visit her... While she was there... Talon captured them."

"No. No, not my Fareeha. Anyone but her!" Ana said, panic very present in her voice. She had images of her daughter at the mercy of Talon. "Do you know what they'll do to her Jack? They'll torture her, break her and then twist her to do their bidding, just like they did with Amelie." Ana couldn't cope, dropping to her knees as tears began to flow. Her rifle fell off her shoulder as she wept, no longer important to her.

Jack kneeled down next to Ana but before he could do or say anything, Ana spoke again.

"Don't you dare Jack. Don't you dare try and tell me everything will be alright. We know the score. This is a death sentence to anyone who we can't get to in a matter of days. I won't let Amelie happen again, not to Angela and especially Fareeha. I don't care about your war, the state of the world or even what Talon plans to do. All I care about is getting my daughter back. I'm going to find her, with or without you!"

Morrison was left stunned into silence. Ana had said all of that without raising her voice and all of her anger had been shown. Honestly, it scared him a little.

"I wasn't going to argue Ana. I knew her as a little girl. I'm not going to stand by and let her and Angela get tortured by them. Winston has Overwatch looking for them and I'm sure he's contacting everyone he knows. We'll find her."

Ana let out a deep breath, placing her rifle back on her shoulder. "Where do we even start? They could be anywhere."

Jack stood back up, offering a hand for Ana and helping her up. "I think we should keep following this lead."

"How is this lead relevant?" Ana asked, almost sarcastically.

"Think about it. That guy said they were going to film a couple being beaten up. We know that they're working for Talon and it's too random to be related to crime. Who would struggle to watch that? Who wouldn't be able to stand by without wanting to help them?"

"Angela." Ana answered, realising where Jack was going. "In all honesty, you might be right."

Jack now turned to look at the tower block. It was an old, derelict building that clearly hadn't been used for many years. It would be a perfect location for a criminal gang to operate out of. "So, we hit the top floor and find the link to Talon. Hopefully, there'll be something that'll get us a step closer to Fareeha and Angela."

"Very well." Ana agreed. "Let's move."

The two ran towards the tower, both fully aware that time was against them. Once they arrived, Morrison walked to the main door, opening it slowly while Ana covered him. There was one gang member guarding a set of stairs and one elevator. He had his back turned to the door, so he didn't see who hadn't walked in.

"You're in the wrong place, turn around and leave." The gang member said.

"Which floors your boss on?" Jack demanded to know.

"I ain't telling you. I suggest that..." The gang member turned around, seeing Soldier 76 standing in front of him.

"You sure about that? Is your boss worth dying over?" The gang member thought over his options. He decided very quickly what to do.

"I suppose not. He's on the top floor, meeting with a 'representative of a client,' whatever that means. The top's had all its walls taken out, apart from a couple of rooms. The one you want has a large metal door on it. Go to floor 14, the 15th floor button doesn't work and the stairs don't go all the way up. Now if you don't mind, I've just remembered somewhere I need to be."

The gang member went to walk away, only for Jack to grab him in a headlock. "You don't get off that easily." The criminal had little time to react, as Morrison snapped his neck and dropped the body.

Ana walked in shortly after, looking down at the lifeless criminal before walking over to Jack, who had called the elevator down.

"We're going to the 14th floor and fighting our way up. Watch out for the Talon agent, he's more use to us alive." Morrison said, checking his pistol as he did.

"Any idea where he is?"

"Likely floor 15. He's meeting with the gang leader. I know you have a lot on your mind right now, so I'll manage the gang members, keep me patched up if I need it." He placed a hand on Ana's shoulder, reassuring her.

A worn out ping announced the arrival of the elevator, which Jack and Ana stepped inside. Jack pressed the button for the 14th floor, the doors closing as the elevator moved. Upon reaching the 14th floor, Morrison raised his rifle and prepared to fire. Sure enough, there was one gang member waiting at the doors.

"I thought I said no..." Once the gang member saw Morrison, he knew he was done for. "Crap." A bullet quickly entered his skull, killing him instantly. The noise alerted the other gang members on the floor. A couple ran towards them, but they were quickly gunned down by Morrison. Ana hadn't even fired a single shot yet, letting Morrison do all the work.

After a short walk, they found the stairs to the top floor. Opposite the stairs, a number of gang members had set up, aiming straight at the stairs. Morrison suspected something was up, so he hugged the wall, peering out down the corridor. Once he saw the ambush, he simply stepped back a small distance, before rolling out from behind his cover and firing. Helix rockets zoomed down at the gang members, hitting the ceiling above them and causing it to collapse. With the defenders buried under the rubble, Morrison turned around and walked to the stairs, where Ana was waiting.

"After you." She said, once again allowing Jack to take the lead. As the two of them ascended to the top floor, Morrison heard a number of gang members panicking.

"What the hell was that?"

"I don't know man! It must be another gang!"

"What do we do?"

"Stop them getting any further. They can't beat us in our own territory!"

Morrison had stopped just below their vision. He decided to use fear to his advantage. He activated his Tatical Visor.

"I'VE GOT YOU IN MY SIGHTS!"

This very quickly caused a panic among the gang.

"OH SHIT, IT'S 76!"

"WE'RE DEAD!"

Morrison now stepped up the stairs, firing at anyone his visor picked up. Sure enough, the dead doorman was right, the top floor had been stripped and remade for the gang. The defences they had provided very little help against him, as one by one the defenders fell. Some even tried to flee or hide, an action that was futile against Morrison. He had no time and was not prepared to accept any surrender.

After a few minutes of Morrison's barrage, someone barked out an order.

"FALL BACK, PROTECT THE BOSS!"

The remaining gang members did just that, moving to a large metal door, clearly bulletproof. Four of them went inside the room, while the remaining six stayed outside, aiming down the passageway that lead to them.

"Stay down, it's Soldier 76!" One of the gang members said, his voice muffled by the large metal door. A number of gun shots, as well as screams of fear and pain followed from outside the room. After a few moments, the building fell deathly quiet. The occupants of the room guessed what had happened. They were the only ones left.

"He can't get through that door, it's bulletproof." One gang member announced, something he came to regret saying seconds later.

"Wanna bet." Morrison commented through the door, sending the occupants scrambling to cover the door. Jack stepped back, aimed his Helix Rockets and fired. The explosion ripped the door from its hinges, as well as causing parts of the wall to be launched at the defenders.

The four gang members near the door were all flung back from the force, two being killed by the detonation. Another was crushed by the large door falling on him. The last one had a large cut on his leg and was unable to stand. Upon seeing Morrison's red visor, he simply started to plead.

"No. No please, No!" He was quickly silenced by a pistol round to the head. The gang leader now attempted to pull his own weapon, a final attempt to kill the attacker. Morrison was simply too quick, hitting the leaders arm with another pistol round and stopping any chance of him fighting back.

"Which one of you's the gang leader?"

"You bastard. What do you want with me?" The injured leader said, holding his bleeding arm.

"Oh, nothing. I was after him." With that, Morrison fired, killing the gang leader with a clean bullet through is head. He now turned to the remaining man. He was wearing a black suit and obviously didn't have a weapon. "Now, you just saw me take down this entire gang without breaking a sweat. You going to talk? Or do I have to persuade you some more?"

The Talon agent simply nodded, shaking at the sight of Morrison. Whatever Soldier 76 wanted, He would willingly give it. Morrison now analysed the room, seeing two wooden chairs along with a number of torture tools. There was a camera facing the chairs, along with a computer connected nearby.

"You sent out two goons to capture a couple, then bring them back here. Why?"

The Talon agent hesitated for a second, picking his words carefully. "We captured a high value target the other day. The person in charge of their conditioning requested this, so I was sent here to broadcast it live. I don't know all the details and frankly I don't want to." Morrison stepped forward, his masked face inches away from the Talon agents. "Where is that prisoner being held?" He demanded to know.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? STOP LYING TO ME!"

"I telling you, I don't know! I wasn't stationed at that base! The equipment is all pre set, all I do is carry out the orders of whoever's at the other end of the link. I don't even know who they are!" The Talon agent was almost pleading, seeing how Soldier gripped his rifle tighter as he shouted at him.

"So where were you stationed?"

"A cover location in Rome." He pulled out a business card. "It's at that address." Morrison snatched the card and placed it in his pocket for later use.

He now considered his next move. If everything was pre set, then all he had to do was start transmitting and then trace the location. Fortunately, he had a USB with a program ready for just a situation. The only challenge was keeping whoever it was on the other end from hanging up before the trace was done.

"I'm guessing you know how to start the transmission?" He asked the Talon agent.

"Yeah. They said contact them once we were ready. They'd then give further instructions on how to proceed."

"Good. Contact them and say your ready to go." The Talon agent did just that, sending a message on the computer. Morrison inserted the USB and set up the program, ready to trace the signal. A few minutes later, there was a reply.

 _Very good. Give us a few hours and then we'll start._

"A few hours." Morrison stated aloud. "Guess we have some time to kill. Take a seat."

The Talon agent didn't register what he meant at first, going wide eyed once he realised. "Wait. We can talk about this. I helped you..."

Morrison simply stared at the Talon Agent, causing him to panic more. He turned and attempted to flee out the ruined door, only to be stopped by Ana, who was standing in the doorway. A sleep dart was fired into the agents chest, working immediately and sending him falling backwards.

"He didn't say you could leave."

Jack walked over, picking up the now unconscious agent and slamming him into one of the wooden chairs. He tied him up, making sure he couldn't escape.

"Need to vent?" He asked Ana, knowing that she needed to let out some anger. She simply replied with a small nod. She wouldn't normally do this, however, this time there was far more at stake than ever before.

Hanamura- Japan

As events unfolded in Boston, Genji was busy infiltrating his old home. After seeing what Talon were doing to Angela and Fareeha, he knew he couldn't just sit around waiting for intel. He knew Overwatch would need all the help they could get. So, here he was, trying to once again recruit an old friend.

Genji climbed up a large wall, jumping over the top and gaining entrance to the area. This was a long shot and Genji knew it. He began to walk, heading to the exact same location that he did the first time he was here. Once he arrived, he saw who he was looking for, kneeling in exactly the same place as before. Genji jumped down from the upper levels and walked behind him.

"My answer has not changed since the last time brother."

Genji simply stood still, expecting a more lengthy explanation.

Hanzo now stood, picking up his bow as he did. "Talon has been trying to recruit me. They promised me that our family's former glory would return if I did. I have no intention of joining them. So why do you think I should join you?"

"Because it's the right thing to do." Genji replied.

"Is that what you truly believe Genji? You helped them tear our family apart."

"We had lost our way. I understand this now. I wish it could have ended differently... but Overwatch helped form who I am today."

"And what is that?"

"A better person." Hanzo simply shook his head, clearly not agreeing. Genji had hoped he and his brother were on better terms than this. At least they weren't trying to kill each other this time.

"Hanzo... we need help. Angela, the woman who saved my life, has been taken by Talon. They're doing unthinkable things to her..."

"What makes you think I'd help? As soon as I did, I'd make an enemy of Talon." Hanzo interrupted. Genji simply lowered his head. Hanzo was not in a listening mood right now.

"If Talon are trying to recruit you then they will make you choose eventually. What then?"

"My path is not yet decided. It seems that yours is Genji. I'm sorry, but this is not my battle."

"Brother, please. She's a very good friend and I owe her my life..." Genji pleaded, trying anything to get Hanzo to budge, however, it all was in vain. Hanzo never moved once. Genji finally admitted defeat, turning to leave. Just before he walked away, he spoke up once more.

"The roads we travel are long and shrouded in darkness. They will not always take us where we wish to go... but I will travel down mine nonetheless. The world is changing Hanzo and it will not wait for you to be ready. The past is what it is, there is no changing that now. It is time to pick a side."

With that Genji left, walking back to the dropship. It wasn't a long walk but it felt a lot longer due to the circumstances. He had hoped that Hanzo would be ready to join him. Clearly he was wrong. As he arrived at the dropship, the doors opened and he stepped inside. The doors remained open as Genji walked over to the main console and contacted Gibraltar.

"Winston, come in."

"Genji, any updates?"

"No Winston. I wasn't able to persuade him. Any news I should know of?"

"Lena and McCree are heading towards Egypt, following a lead. I've also contacted anyone who we've worked with before. Some have already said they'll help."

"Good to hear." Genji now thought for a moment. A while ago Torb had managed to befriend a Bastion unit. Genji has taken it to his master to watch over it six months ago. That Bastion could be invaluable in the next few days. "Remember that Bastion we sent to Nepal?"

"Yes. It could be very helpful."

"Exactly my thoughts. I'll head over and pick it up before I return..."

"Don't you mean we?" Genji turned around at the sudden interruption to see Hanzo, leaning against the door of the dropship. "You are right, the past is what it is. I must decide where I stand..."

"So, you will help us?" Genji asked.

"This once, yes. As for the future, we shall see."

"Very well then. Me and Hanzo will head to Nepal and bring the Bastion back." He announced to Winston.

"Very good. I'll keep on contacting anyone we know. Winston out."

Hanzo now stepped on board the dropship, the doors closing as the shuttle began its take off procedure. As the dropship took off towards its destination, Hanzo broke the silence.

"You have a Bastion?" He asked Genji.

"Yes, we do."

"Why is it sitting in Nepal then?" Genji simply chuckled to himself before replying.

"It's a long story..."

Egypt- Near the Temple of Anubis- 2 hours later

Lena walked through the streets, stopping in a small square and looked for any sign of the target they were after. She and McCree had split up upon landing and had patrolled the entire area at least once. Lena trusted the intel from Ross, all they needed to do was find the hooded man.

Once she was done analysing the area, Lena moved on. Both Lena and McCree were incognito, something that was far easier for McCree than Lena. All McCree had to do was change his clothes. Lena had her accelerator which simply gave away who she was a mile away. Fortunately, Emily had come up with a cunning plan a while back. She had bought Lena some pieces of clothing that were a little too large for her. She simply put on one of these larger shirts and coats over her accelerator and suddenly she was a different person.

Unfortuantly, the Egyptian heat meant that a coat would probably make her pass out. Luckily, one of the larger shirt's was enough to keep the accelerator from being noticeable. She was also wearing a pair of sunglasses, making her blend in as one of the tourists.

"Thank god this isn't an issue back home." She thought to herself. She had gone out in King's Row with her accelerator so many times that no one thought anything of it anymore. Anywhere else and she stuck out like a sore thumb.

Lena now passed by the restaurant that Angela and Fareeha were ambushed in. She knew it was there since the entire street was cordoned off and police were all over the building. It was unlikely there was any evidence left inside anyway. Lena simply moved on, not dwelling on what may of happened inside that building.

"Uh! Where is this guy?" Lena groaned, getting sick of walking around the same area. She activated her earpiece "McCree, any luck?"

"None as yet. Keep searching, he's got to be around here somewhere."

Lena sighed heavily before continuing on. The guy they were looking for was their only lead to finding Angela and Fareeha. They needed to find him before... The thought of Angela becoming a Talon agent made Lena shudder. There was no way she could pull the trigger on Angela, even if she had no other choice. Lena hoped that it wouldn't come to that.

As Lena continued on, she found herself in a market square, filled with people buying and selling goods. She analysed the area, having to do a double take when she saw something. It was someone wearing a grey hoodie with the hood up, very similar to the one the man they were looking for had. He was currently looking over a food stall, purchasing a small bowl of food before walking to another stall, looking over some clothes.

Lena pulled out a small picture, analysing the figure from the CCTV. Once the man turned around she confirmed the identity. They were a match.

"McCree, I've found him. he's in the market square, near the restaurant."

"I'm a few minutes away, keep him in view but stay out of sight."

Lena looked back towards the target. He had turned around and was walking towards her. She quickly walked over to a market stall as he passed on by. Lena thought the disguise had worked, the target clearly hadn't recognised her. She turned around and began to follow him out of the market square, following close by but not too close. They walked a short distance before he turned into an alley. Lena stopped for a few seconds, before slowly following him.

She was very cautious, keeping an eye out for any potential traps. However, she realised very quickly that the man had disappeared. Lena ran to the end of the alley, reaching a dead end.

"What? Where did he..." Before she could finish, someone came up behind her, grabbing her in a headlock with the intention of suffocating her.

"I don't know who you are, but you followed the wrong person."

Lena tried to break free but his grip was too strong. Instead, she focused her energy on her accelerator and recalled out of the headlock. The man fell backwards, falling onto his back as Lena disappeared. As she reappeared, the man managed to pull out a pistol. Lena had time to react, blinking out of the way of three shots before she reached him. She quickly kicked his weapon out of his hand, climbing on top of him and hitting him in the head. He managed to push Lena off and stand up, turning and running away. Lena wasted no time, recovering and running after him.

She blinked out of the alley, quickly finding her target and chasing after him. The target was very fast, clearly he'd had training. As they ran through the streets, Lena activated her earpiece.

"McCree! He's onto me! He's heading back towards the market!" She shouted, blinking forward to keep up with her target.

"Stay with him. I'll try and cut him off."

They ran back through the market, pushing through a number of people and causing a large commotion. Once through, the hooded man ran towards a gap between two buildings, heading towards the Temple of Anubis. Lena followed close by, still blinking to keep up. As the man reached the end of the alley, a metallic hand suddenly stopped him dead in his tracks. The force sent him straight to the ground and he was unable to recover before a second hit landed on his head, knocking him out. Lena now stopped running, walking the last few steps to the now unconscious target.

"Wow... he could move." Lena said, breathing heavily.

McCree dragged the target back into the alley and pulled the hood off his head, stopping for a few seconds as he saw his face. "I'm not surprised he gave you a run for your money. He's former Blackwatch."

"You know him?" Lena asked, as McCree pulled out a cigar, fumbling in his pockets and finding his lighter.

"Unfortunately." McCree lit his cigar before continuing. "He was one of our intelligence gatherers, sent in before the main team. Micheal... something. I can't remeber his full name."

"We should get him back to the dropship, interrogate him when he wakes up. We need to find Angela and Fareeha soon." McCree didn't reply, instead picking up the unconscious man up and throwing him over his shoulder.

"Um, it's a little too obvious we knocked him out if you carry him like that luv." Lena said, chuckling slightly.

"I'm going a quiet route, don't worry." McCree now walked out of the alley, hitting the mans head on the wall as he turned the corner. "Oh, I'm so sorry." McCree said sarcastically, gaining another chuckle from Lena.

One hour later

The hooded man awoke in the Overwatch dropship. He was sitting on the floor, with his hands cuffed behind his back. As he looked around, his eyes rested on McCree, who was sitting nearby with his revolver in one hand and a cigar in the other. Lena meanwhile was no where to be seen. Opting to stay outside while McCree extracted the intel they needed.

"McCree. Long time no see." The prisoner joked but McCree was in no joking mood.

"You know why I'm here Micheal. Just tell me what I want to know."

Micheal chuckled to himself. "Mercy and her friend I'm assuming. Well, I don't know anything about that." A bullet landed next to him shortly afterwards, hitting right next to his leg.

"That's not the answer I'm looking for." McCree said, smoke coming from his revolver.

"That's the only one I can give. I was here long before Mercy was captured, I just got reassigned to follow her. Here's the best part though, I'm being reassigned again, Anubis is no longer the main target."

McCree was now a little confused. "What are you talking about?"

Micheal simply laughed again. "You don't know do you? Overwatch doesn't know, this is fantastic."

McCree finally ran out of patience, getting up and walking over to Micheal, forcing the barrel of his revolver next to his head. "I don't have time for this, where is Mercy? What's Talon planning?"

What McCree hadn't noticed was that Micheal had reached for a small pin he had hidden in his clothes. He started to work on the handcuffs, trying to unlock them.

"I don't know where Mercy is, it's above my pay grade. All I was told was to follow the one target and then Mercy walked straight into our hands. I wasn't told where they were going afterwards. As for what we're planning... all I'll tell you is that it's something big, something that will change how the world sees us. Or at least impact the United States in a big way."

McCree went to speak once again but Micheal stopped him. "Now, I'd love to stay and reminisce on the old days, but I have more important things to be doing. By the way, nothing personal."

Micheal suddenly broke free of his handcuffs, pushing away the gun to his head before McCree could react. He rolled to his side and reached for a knife he had hidden in his boot. He now lunged forward, intending to plunge the knife into McCree's side, however, McCree was ready. He rolled backwards and aimed his revolver, seeing Micheal sprinting straight at him. He knew he had no time to do anything else, so he fired, a perfect shot landing on Michael's chest. One bullet was all it took to bring the former Blackwatch agent down.

"You've lost your touch." McCree walked over to the dying man, kneeling down next to him. "Where are they Micheal?" He asked softly.

"Sorry mate. I honestly don't know... I don't owe Talon anything, so if I knew I'd say." Micheal coughed up a small amount of blood, as he breathed his last breath.

The dropship doors now unlocked and Lena ran in. "MCCREE! WE NEEDED HIM!"

"I didn't have a choice. He didn't know anything anyway. It was a dead end..."

Lena punched the side of the Orca, something she quickly regretted, holding her hand in pain. "That's it then. We have nothing to go on..." Lena's head now dropped. "I've failed them."

"We'll find them Lena."

"How McCree? We have nothing! Nowhere to even start looking! How can we hope to ever find them, let alone find them before Talon's finished with them!"

"McCree, Lena, are you there?" Winston had contacted them through the ships computer, McCree answering for the two of them.

"We didn't get anything. This source was a dead end." McCree reported.

"Someone else found something. We have another lead." Lena's head quickly shot back up. Seemed that not all was lost. "I need you two back here ASAP."

"So, who was it?" Lena asked.

Talon facility- Unknown location

Angela and Fareeha were fast asleep on the cold, concrete floor, the two of them cuddling one another. They were awoken earlier that day and subjected to another round of physical abuse. They were separated, forced into different rooms, before several Talon soldiers went to work on them. Angela healed the damage they caused to her, yet Fareeha was unable to, meaning every bruise and cut they caused was still visible. This bothered Angela, a lot. One part of her said that she didn't want her here, wanted her safe from all of this. Another part of her however knew that Talon would be far further with their goal if she wasn't here. Fareeha was doing a great job keeping her together.

A loud scream was suddenly heard through the base, shaking Angela right out of her sleep. The sudden movement also woke Fareeha, who quickly turned to check on Angela.

"What's wrong?" She asked, seeing that Angela was shaking slightly.

"I heard someone screaming... Oh god, what are they doing to them? That'll be us soon..." Angela hugged Fareeha tightly. All her life, she helped those who needed it most. Now, she couldn't help anyone and it was a form of torture in itself. They fact that they would soon be subjected to a similar fate simply scared Angela further.

Fareeha had little time to comfort her, as the door to their cell opened and two Talon troopers walked in. They quickly picked up the two prisoners, dragging them out the cell and through the base. After a short walk, they turned into a small room, with two chairs set up and a computer connected up to a large screen. The two women were strapped to the seats, the restraints tighter than usual.

Once secured in their seats, Moira walked in, two lab assistants following close behind her.

"Don't try to resist." Moira said plainly, before one assistant walked up to Angela. They had a small syringe in their hand, which quickly made its way into Angela's arm, extracting some of her blood. Fareeha was next, a separate syringe used. The assistant then walked over to Moira, giving her the blood samples.

"Why do you need our blood?" Fareeha asked.

"Future reference." Moira replied, turning to face the two prisoners. "Now, remember what I said Angela. You are going to help me complete a little project of mine."

"Like hell I am!" Angela's sudden objection irritated Moira, but she expected it. After all, she wasn't broken yet.

"Yes, I thought you might say that, which is why I had a special show made just for you. I want to show you what will happen if you don't help us." Moira now turned to the other assistant, who was standing next to the computer. "Start the show."

The assistant typed a few words and the large screen activated. However, once the image appeared, Moira was less than pleased. There was a man in a suit, tied up and beaten to a pulp. It was amazing that he was still alive.

Moira sighed, placing her head in one of her hands. "I thought I made my instructions clear. A couple of lovebirds and they were not to be harmed until we began."

The man simply looked towards the camera, desperately trying to speak. "MA'AM, IT'S..!" He was quickly silenced with a bullet to the head. The sudden scene made the two assistants jump, the one moving away from the computer. The two Talon soldiers also lost their composure, clearly surprised at what they just saw.

"Brilliant." Moira sarcastically commented. "So go on, who's actually there?"

A figure now moved into view, someone that filled Angela and Fareeha with hope. Soldier 76.

"Moira. Seems the Witch is still alive after all."

Moira was left stunned. Of all the people she expected, Morrison was not one of them. How did she know it was Morrison? Reaper had brought it to Talon's board of directors attention after he fought him and Ana. Clearly, Overwatch had called in for support and he had answered.

"Look what I have Morrison." Moira returned, pointing at the two prisoners. "Two very important people. So think about your next move very carefully."

Morrison simply stood, staring at the screen for a few moments. It was safe to say that the Talon personnel were becoming very uncomfortable, even thought he wasn't in the room. Eventually, he spoke. "Someone has a message for you."

Morrison walked aside, letting Ana take his place. Fareeha's face lit up as she saw her mother, which in turn made Angela smile.

"You've crossed the line Moira. No one messes with my daughter." Ana said, calmly.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Moira returned. "You don't even know where she is. How can you possibly hope to find her."

Ana stepped closer to the camera, giving a glare that sent a chill down the spines of the Talon agents. "Oh, I'll find her. I'll take down any Talon agent that dares to stand in my way, burn any bases that I find and then, just to finish off, when I find you, I'll rip your still beating heart out with my bare hands, you cold hearted bitch!"

Fareeha was stunned by her mother's outburst. She had never heard her speak like that. It honestly scared her a little. Thing was, if she was a little scared, then the Talon agents were far more frightened.

Moira meanwhile was stunned into silence. Something told her that Ana wouldn't hesitate to follow up that threat. She quickly regained her composure. "You and who's army?"

"I don't need one."

Moira scoffed. "And why is that?"

"Because I'm an army of one." Morrison said, letting the words sink in.

Moira finally had enough, walking over to the computer and shutting off the video connection. Moira considered her options. Her original plan had been to capture a couple somewhere else in the world, have them tortured to death to break down Mercy, then send the video to Overwatch as a warning. Instead, all it had accomplished was raising the spirits of her captives. She now turned to the two Talon troopers.

"These two haven't had a wash today. Run them an ice cold bath, then throw them in it." The two prisoners were able to share a glance, before being dragged out of the room. This left Moira with the two assistants.

"Well, guess I'll try another method. Do we still have that rejected stock from Indigo? What was her name... Veronica?"

"Yes, she was scheduled for termination in a few days." The one assistant answered, taking no regard to the fact she was talking about another human being.

"Excellent, have her brought to room twelve. I have one more use for her."

Menawhile, ten rooms down, Angela and Fareeha had been forcefully stripped of their clothing, apart from their underwear and lead to a large room with a square, metal cover over it. The cover was lifted up to reveal a small pool of water, filled with ice. The two women were pushed into the water, before the pool was covered back up.

Once the cover was down, a small light illuminated the pool, leaving Angela and Fareeha alone with each other. The pool wasn't very deep, only reaching half way up their bodies. However, they were both shivering due to the icy water. Fareeha moved over to Angela, wrapping her arms around her. Angela didn't object, immediate understanding what she was doing, sharing body heat.

"Good idea." Angela said, shivering as she did. Both women wrapped their arms around the other, rubbing each other's backs to generate any heat they could. "You okay Faree?"

"Yeah, just not used to the cold. You okay Ang?"

"Yeah, I think I am. Just a bit cold myself. At least there's a bit of light in here."

"What were the chances of Mum and Jack finding that location?" Fareeha asked, gaining a smile from Angela. "I've never heard her speak like that before..."

"She's looking for you... and judging by that, I don't think anyone will be able to stop her."

Neither one would admit it, but despite the cold, both were quite comfortable around the other, even with barely any clothes on. Perhaps it was simply due to the cold and both wanting to warm up very quickly. Or maybe it was something more.

Angela thought back to what Lena said, before all of this started. 'You two are perfect for each other.' Maybe Lena was right. Here she was, huddled up with Fareeha, wearing practically nothing and it felt... right. She was comfortable around her. Angela pushed the thought aside for now, it was clearly just the situation they both were in.

"Get your emotions in check Angela. We're just friends... that's all we'll ever be." Angela thought to herself, though she was starting to doubt her own thoughts, something she knew was incredible dangerous right now. She had to stay strong. What she didn't know was that Fareeha was having a similar conflict herself, equally unsure about her feelings towards Angela.

After ten minutes, the cover was lifted and the Talon troopers ordered the two women out of the water, something they didn't argue with. They quickly got dressed, before being led back to their cell. Once the door shut, the two women simply sat at the back of the room, hugging and comforting one another.

Boston- United States

Morrison cursed aloud. "Damn it! Moira cut the connection before the trace was complete. I don't have a concrete location."

Ana lowered her head, she was so close to finding her daughter. "Did you get anything?"

"I got a country... Italy."

"Italy?" Ana asked, surprised. "Bit coincidental, that Talon agent was from Italy."

Morrison pulled out the card the agent had given to him, looking at the address. He pulled out his phone and contacted Winston. "Winston, I need a ship to Italy, double time."

"On route. Do you need backup?" Winston asked.

Morrison looked up at Ana, who simply shook her head. "No. Stay ready in case we find out anything. Morrison out." Jack ended the call, looking up at Ana once again. "How come you didn't want backup?"

"Think about it Jack. That's my daughter, so I'll do whatever it takes, even if i have to beat the information out of them."

"Ana, this isn't you..."

"So what, you expect me to ask nicely? We don't have time for that, I need to find her!" Morrison hated to admit it, but Ana was right.

"Let me do it. I'll get the information out of any Talon agents we find. Keep your hands clean." Ana nodded her head. She knew why Jack had said that. He didn't want her to have that on her conscious. The fact he was Soldier 76 would also help any 'interrogation' they were forced to do.

"Thank you Jack. I know I'm not myself right now..."

"You don't have to explain yourself Ana, I understand. Now come on, lets find her."


	7. Cracks and Splinters

**Cracks and Splinters**

Talon Dropship- Destination India

Reaper had a force of 20 soldiers with him and he hoped they were somewhat competent this time. Recently, the troopers hadn't been very useful and frankly, Reaper would of been better off alone.

Reaper also had an envelope, currently sat on the holotable, containing sealed orders from Doomfist. Reaper hadn't looked at them yet. Instead, he simply sat, staring at the troopers along for the ride. After a long silence for pretty much the entire trip, Reaper finally spoke.

"So, are you guys any good? Or will I be heading back to base alone?"

The commander for the squad quickly stepped forward, placing his arms behind his back. "Doomfist handpicked us personally sir. I assure you we are some of the best at Talon."

"I'll be the judge of that. You know the mission objectives?"

"Partly sir. Doomfist informed me that you'd fill in the gaps."

At this point, Reaper walked over to the envelope, picking it up and unsealing it. "At least you sound more professional than most of the grunts." He admitted to the squad commander.

Reaper pulled out the orders, reading through them. It was a carefully laid out plan, seemingly hand written by Doomfist himself. However, the content wasn't exactly what Reaper thought it would be.

"Change of plans then Akande?"

Vishkar Corporation- Utopaea, India

Satya Vaswani was currently sat behind a desk, compiling a large array of paperwork. Vishkar had asked for her opinion on a future planned project and she was just finishing the final parts of her report, placing the final page in place and stapling the document together.

With her report complete, Satya placed it into a folder and dropped it onto her desk. She ran her hands through her hair and breathed out, heavily.

"That took longer than expected." Satya said to herself. Knowing that she needed a break, Satya decided to grab a coffee from the canteen and perhaps talk to a colleague or two, if anyone was around. It was a quieter day and most of the staff weren't in. She stood up and walked towards the elevator.

As she reached the elevator, she pressed the call button and waited for its arrival. As she stood, Satya looked out of the window, analysing the city below.

Vishkar headquarters stood near the centre of the city, a large tower marking its location. The tower was surrounded by smaller buildings, all of which circled the main tower. Satya was only half way up the tower and the view was nothing short of breathtaking, though it wasn't the view that made Satya think this.

Vishkar built this entire city and it was proof of what could be accomplished by them. Everyone's lives were better because of Vishkar. This was why she worked for them, to make the world a better place, even if some of Vishkar's methods were a bit extreme.

As the elevator pinged and the doors opened, Satya walked inside, pressing the button for the canteen. This gave Satya a moment to dwell on her thoughts. She remembered Brazil, the explosion... the girl with half her face burnt. It was something that never sat right with her. Even now, she still couldn't believe that Vishkar blew up an entire building. Something wasn't right about the whole situation.

Once the elevator arrived, Satya stepped out and walked into the canteen, which was its own dedicated floor. She walked over to the coffee machine, collecting a small mug from a nearby counter and holding it under the machine. A number of buttons were pressed, setting it to Satya's preferred blend of coffee, before the mug began to fill.

"Hello there Satya. How goes the report?"

Satya recognised the voice instantly, looking up briefly to acknowledge Sanjay. "Completed. How was your trip? Business I assume?"

"Indeed and it was very productive. I'll have your report on my desk at your earliest convenience."

As Sanjay went to walk away, a large rumble was felt through the entire building, stopping everyone in their tracks. They all simply stood for a few moments, before Sanjay's phone finally rang.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"We're under attack by Talon! Oh god, it's Rea..." Whoever was on the other end of the call was silenced by a gunshot. It didn't take a genius to work out what had happened.

Sanjay now turned to Satya. "Get your equipment and help get people out. If Reaper's here, then we're all in trouble." Satya didn't reply, instead running to the stairs and up three floors. It was fortunate that her equipment was kept close by, that meant she could enter the battle a lot quicker.

As she reached the storage room, a few heavily armed security guards ran past her, heading down towards the attackers. Satya opened the room and ran to her equipment, quickly putting it on and activating her weapon. Since Talon was attacking, she knew that killing was the only option. Just before leaving, Satya placed down the exit for her teleport. If Talon became too much, then she could teleport herself and anyone else away.

Now armed with her equipment, Symmetra emerged from the storage room, heading back the way she just came and towards the incoming battle. She quickly reached the canteen level again, passing numerous unarmed employees on their way up the tower. Once at the canteen, she found Sanjay talking to one of the security guards. Once he saw Satya, he dismissed the guard and walked towards her.

"I want you on the lower levels with the rest of the security, they'll need your abilities to stand any chance against Talon."

"What happened to getting people out?"

"Talon has the lower levels, no one can get out. We need to hold them back."

"Very well." Satya replied, heading for the stairs down. She ran down several flights of stairs before finding the makeshift fortifications the security had set up. It was nothing more than a few desks, toppled over and moved to block the stairwell. She knew it wouldn't hold long against Talon. Satya quickly walked over to the security chief, who was busy barking out orders.

"Situation report."

The security chief turned to Satya. "Symmetra, glad you're here. We've set up our defences here and I have someone wiring the elevators one floor up. Talon will have to either take the lift here or get through the barricade on the stairs."

"I will set up defences on the stairs, have your men cover the elevator." The chief nodded as Satya moved back to the stairwell, setting up six of her turrets above the makeshift fortification and moving back to the elevator. She also set up a shield generator at the rear of the room, giving extra protection to the security forces.

As soon as the shield generator was running, the elevator began to move down towards the bottom of the tower. After a short wait, it began moving back up, heading straight towards the defending forces.

Satya took one last look at the security forces. There were a few guards with some larger weaponry but nowhere near enough to fight people like Talon. She just hoped that they could hold them back.

As the elevator reached its destination, the doors opened and the security opened fire. The elevator was filled with bullets, which would of killed anyone inside. After a few moments, the security stopped firing. The elevator stood dormant and no one emerged from it. Nor were there any bodies. With no movement from it, everyone deemed the elevator safe.

A mere few seconds passed until the barricades on the stairs exploded, shortly followed by gunshots from the stairwell.

"Focus on the stairwell!" The security chief called out, as a Talon trooper moved up the stairs. His advance was quickly stopped by Satya's turrets, which slowed him down and made him a sitting target for the security forces.

As the Talon trooper fell, the rest of the attacking force held position, a couple of troopers firing through the destroyed barricade and hitting one of the security guards. Fortunately, the shield generator meant that no serious damage was caused.

After a short while, a Talon trooper threw an EMP grenade up the stairwell, which detonated at the top and disabled Satya's turrets. With the turrets disabled, the troopers began to push up the stairs, two moving forward, carrying riot shields which took the bullets from Vishkar's security. Satya fired off an energy drain at one of the riot shields, which managed to cause the trooper behind to drop the shield. This gave Satya an opening to fire another energy drain, hitting the trooper and rendering him unconscious.

As the battle on the stairs continued, one Talon trooper hid behind the remaining riot shield trooper, aiming up and destroying Satya's turrets before they regained enough power to fire. This was something she expected, however Satya was concerned with another matter.

"Why are Talon only coming up the stairwell? Why are they not using the elevator as well?" She asked aloud. This was a question she quickly regretted asking, as a cloud of black smoke emerged from the bullet filled elevator. It quickly transformed into Reaper, who shot two security guards, killing them instantly. Before anyone could react, another two more were executed, causing a moment of panic between the rest of the guards.

The Talon troopers used the opportunity to advance, taking down three security guards near the stairwell, who were too occupied trying to avoid Reaper's shots.

Satya knew that they'd lost this fight the second Reaper showed up, so she threw down the other half of her teleport, which instantly activated and created a portal back to the storage room.

"Get through the teleport! Move!"

The remaining guards began to flee, simply giving Talon a further advantage. The troops began to cut down the closest guards they could see, apart from Reaper, who simply threw away his weapons while beelining for the teleport.

Four security guards, including the security chief, managed to get through the teleport before Satya ran through herself, seeing that Reaper was too close and accepting that anyone else was dead. As soon as she was through, she closed the teleport, leaving three other guards at the mercy of Reaper.

"There were still people in there!" The security chief said, clearly angry with Satya's decision to close the portal.

"They were dead anyway." Satya replied coldly, more focused on trying to work out how to beat Talon. "Where is Sanjay? He must be the target."

"He'll be on the top floor, likely with any other staff who can't fight." The security chief answered, still angry with Satya. Not that she cared really. They all had a job to do, that didn't mean they had to like each other.

"We need to get there. Follow me." Satya lead the way, checking that the immediate area was clear before heading towards the stairwell. The five person team ran up several floors before they heard something behind them. They all stopped and listened, hearing nothing but the wind. Then it dawned on them. They shouldn't be able to hear the wind in this stairwell.

They all began to run again, moving quicker than they did before. However, one guard was simply not fast enough and a large hand covered his mouth. The rest of them could do nothing but continue running as they heard the muffled screams of the guard, Reaper silencing him shortly afterwards.

Satya now contacted Sanjay, wishing she had done so a few moments beforehand. "Sanjay, we're heading towards the top of the tower. Reaper's right behind us, be ready!" She didn't bother asking for his location, simply assuming he was there.

"Get to the boardroom, we've set up a trap." Sanjay replied.

After what felt like an eternity running, the small team reached the top of the tower. Satya turned around and deployed a moving barrier, covering them as they ran through the corridors. The barrier managed to block the shots that Reaper fired at them but simply confirmed that he was a mere few seconds behind them.

Satya kept deploying barriers, stopping Reaper from firing any shots at them. Thankfully they were nearing the boardroom, hopefully that trap was enough to stop Talon. Once they were at the doors to the boardroom, Satya fired one more barrier before opening the door. However, as soon as she did, a barrel of a rifle immediately hit her head, knocking her to the ground. She wasn't able to get up in time before a second hit landed, knocking her out cold.

The culprit now aimed up at the remaining three security guards, shooting two and killing them. The security chief meanwhile had reached for his pistol and aimed to kill. He was never able to take the shot, as Reaper landed a shot on his back, the force knocking him down and making him drop his gun. He quickly crawled forward and grabbed his gun, only for Reaper to step straight on his hand, holding it in place. The security chief could do nothing but look up, as Reaper fired a round straight into his head, killing him.

With the security taken care of, he turned his attention to Satya, who was still unconscious. "Time to have a little chat, Symmetra."

Talon facility- Unknown location

It was early in the morning and Angela and Fareeha had been shaken awake by the breakfast service. It wasn't much of a breakfast, just a single piece of bread and a glass of water. They split the food between them and now sat after their lacklustre meal, waiting for whatever Talon had planned for them today.

They were both still very hungry, having not eaten properly for a few days now. Fareeha was also covered in bruises and cuts, while Angela had no visible injuries thanks to her self healing.

Even without any visible wounds, Fareeha could tell that Angela wasn't doing well. The other day Angela had been taken away without Fareeha for hours. She had no idea what they did, since Angela was very quiet for the rest of the day. Whatever happened had clearly shaken her.

"Ang." Fareeha said softly, placing her hand on Angela's. "What happened the other day? You've not been yourself since."

Angela didn't reply, instead looking down to the floor and avoiding eye contact.

"Ang, remember what we promised? Please talk to me."

Angela began to cry, immediately hugging Fareeha. "I did exactly what they wanted."

"What do you mean?" Fareeha hugged Angela tighter, trying to calm her down. "What did they do to you?"

Several hours earlier

Angela and Fareeha were sat in their cell after the freezing bath Talon had given them. The two of them were still slightly damp, however they had mostly dried off.

The sight of Soldier 76 and Ana had filled the two of them with hope. However, it had also worried them slightly. If Morrison and Ana could find that video link, then they could find this facility, which meant Talon would start to move quicker with their 'conditioning.' Both women knew this and so had been mentally preparing themselves for whatever Talon had planned.

There was something else that was bothering the two women, or rather someone else. Both of them had started to question their feelings towards the other. They both were worried and concerned when the other was injured and both constantly made sure to comfort the other. They thought it was because they were simply friends. Now though... now they both wondered if it was something more. Neither one dared to tell the other. It just didn't feel like the right time.

After a short while, the cell doors opened and a group of Talon troopers entered. They wasted no time dragging Angela to her feet and forcing her out of the room, completely ignoring Fareeha and leaving her alone in the cell.

Angela was dragged through the facility and into a small room, which had a chair ready for her. She was forced down onto the chair and held in place by a Talon soldier.

"Why am I not tied up?" She thought to herself, starting to worry about what was in store for her today. After a few minutes, Moira walked in, followed by another girl, being escorted by Talon troopers. Her hands were bound behind her back and her face was heavily bruised. Talon had clearly held her captive for a long time.

The girl was placed on a second chair and secured to it, tears in her eyes as she feared for her life.

Moira began to speak, placing her arms behind her back and walking behind the girl. "Morrison and Ana may have interrupted my plans, but make no mistake, that's all it will be. Now, I want your help Mercy."

The girl looked up upon hearing Angela's callsign, recognising it instantly.

"Go to hell! I'm not helping you Moira!" Angela objected.

Moira simply smirked and leaned down next to the girls right ear. The girl flinched slightly, trying to escape her but failing due to her restraints.

"Tell our guest what your name is." Moira told the girl.

"Veronica." The girl replied, her voice shaking in fear.

Moira looked over to Angela. "How old are you Veronica?"

"Twenty... I'm twenty."

Moira now walked away from Veronica, over to a table against the right wall. She opened a file and began moving papers around. "It says here that your were taken from your family during a holiday in New York. Mom and dad tried so hard to find you but they never could, after all, it's a big city. You're from Miami correct?"

"Yes." Veronica replied, turning to her left as a trooper pulled out his pistol and checked it over.

"It also states that you were studying to become a doctor. You said in an application that you were inspired by the heroic acts of medics such as... Mercy."

Veronica began to cry heavily, remembering what her life would have been if Talon hadn't taken her.

"Hey." Veronica looked up at Angela, who had managed to lean forward to speak to her. The Talon guard went to pull her back, yet Moira put her hand up to object, letting Angela speak.

"You need to be strong, okay. You'll make it through this, I promise you."

"Don't make promises you can't keep Angela." Moira now nodded at the Talon soldier that was checking his pistol. He placed his gun back in its holster before walking over to the table. There was something else on the table, a small selection of torture equipment.

Moira now walked behind Veronica again, placing her hands on her shoulders. "Angela, I want to know how your resurrection tech works. You're going to write it down for me. If you refuse, very bad things will happen to poor Veronica here."

Angela looked over to Veronica, seeing the fear in her eyes. She knew that she couldn't give them that information. With it, Talon would be unstoppable. However, she couldn't simply let this innocent girl be tortured because she refused to cooperate, it went against all her morals.

Angela never had time to decide what to do, as Veronica spoke up.

"Don't do it! Don't tell them anything!" Her voice was shaking. She knew what was coming, that Talon had no more use for her. It was obvious why she was here, she was expendable.

Moira sighed. "Very well. You may proceed."

The soldier near the table picked up a knife, before turning around and walking to Veronica. She tried to move away but failed due to her restraints. The knife was plunged into her left leg, causing Veronica to scream out in pain. The soldier began to beat her, striking her face multiple times and causing blood to start pouring from her nose.

Angela could do nothing but watch, the trooper behind holding her down. After a few minutes, the soldier stopped and Moira aimed her biotic grasp, draining the life force from Veronica.

"Moira, please! Stop!" Angela begged, but to no avail.

"You can stop this at any time Angela. Just agree to help us." Moira replied, releasing Veronica from her grasp. She now nodded to the Talon soldier again, who reached for his pistol and aimed it at Veronica's head.

"Right, let me make it a little easier for you." Moira said to Angela. "I'm going to count to five, decide if you're helping us or not."

Angela's eyes moved from Moira to Veronica. She didn't know what to do. "I can't..."

"One."

"Moira, please. This is between me and you!"

"Two."

"Let her go. I'll talk..."

"Three."

"Do you know what Talon will do if I tell you?"

"Four."

The soldier pushed the gun further towards Veronica, the barrel touching her head. Veronica closed her eyes, weeping as she prepared herself.

"I'm begging you Moira, just stop, please!"

"Fi..."

"I'LL DO IT!" Moira stopped counting and the soldier lowered his gun.

"I'll do it...just...stop...please." Angela had tears in her eyes. She didn't want to do this, but she saw no other way to save Veronica.

Moira waved the guard behind Angela away, letting her stand up. Moira moved towards the table, picking up a piece of paper and moving it towards the end of the table. She found a pen from her coat and held it out at Angela.

Angela walked over, reluctantly taking the pen and writing on the paper. She did exactly as she was told, writing down how her resurrection tech worked. Once she was done, she placed the pen down and turned to Moira, who had a large smile on her face.

"Five."

"NO!"

Angela's cry was not heard, as the Talon soldier brought his weapon back up to Veronica's head and fired. Her body slumped forward in the chair, held in place by her restraints. Angela did nothing but stare at the young girl for a few moments, before anger took over. She reached for Moira and pushed her against the table, breathing heavily as she did. The Talon soldier aimed his weapon at her but Moira managed to signal him to stand down.

"SHE WAS INNOCENT! I GAVE YOU WHAT YOU WANTED!" Angela screamed out at Moira, tears very visible in her eyes.

Moira simply smirked. "Not fast enough I'm afraid."

"You're a sick, twisted monster! I should..."

"You should what Angela? Go on. what do you want to do?"

Angela moved her hands to Moira's throat and stared at her face. She didn't see fear however. Instead, Moira smiled, wanting Mercy to continue.

Angela let Moira go, falling to her knees as she cried. All she could think about was the girl. If she's just did what they asked sooner, would she still be alive? She was shaken out of her thoughts, as Moira grabbed her and pulled her back to her feet.

"Let me show you something Angela." She forcefully pushed Angela out of the room and into another. Inside was a screen filled with images of other people. "All of these people are prisoners here. Each one of them is expendable. If you don't want anyone else to suffer the same fate as poor Veronica, if you don't want Fareeha to suffer anymore, you're going to do exactly as we say. Understand?"

Angela nodded in defeat. "Okay...what do you want me to do?"

Moira smiled to herself. She'd found Angela's breaking point, now all she needed to do was exploit it. "I want you to improve your resurrection tech, allow me to control it. Do that for me and I promise that we'll let some of them go."

Angela simply nodded again, as Moira signalled two Talon troopers. "Take her back to her cell. Let her think over the events of today."

Present day

"Oh my..." Fareeha was shocked by Talon's brutality. To outright shoot someone after Angela had done what they asked. It wasn't human. "Are you okay Ang?"

Angela had tears in her eyes. "I'm okay... What if I'd just done what they asked sooner? Would she still be alive? She had so much to live for..."

Fareeha turned and faced Angela, looking straight into her eyes. "Ang, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have prevented it, no matter what you did. This is Talon, they'll do anything to break us. We need to stay strong and not give in."

Angela sniffled, nodding at what Fareeha said. "Faree... I can't just stand by and let them harm others. Not if I can stop it... not if it was you they were threatening."

Fareeha thought for a moment, before speaking quietly. "Ang... we don't have very many options left. You need to keep them busy for as long as possible."

Angela nodded once again. "Okay... I'll try." She said softly, locking eyes with Fareeha. They both stared at each other for what felt like hours, before they both leaned in, closing their eyes and sharing a long, deep kiss.

As they broke away, they just looked at each other, neither knowing what to say. Finally, Fareeha broke the silence.

"Ang... there's something I need to tell you, something that I don't think I'll get the chance to say ever again." She breathed in heavily. "Ang. I... I love..."

Fareeha never finished her sentence, cut off by the sound of the cell door opening. Two Talon troopers walked in. "Hope you've enjoyed each other's company. You're never going to see each other again." One of the troopers announced, sending chills down the two women's spines.

Fareeha was quickly picked up and pushed out of the room. She tried to look back, getting a short glance at Angela, who looked like she'd had her heart ripped out. Seconds later, the door slammed shut and Angela was left alone. She curled herself up at the back of the cell, crying once again.

Fareeha was the only thing keeping her sane and now she was gone. She didn't know how much longer she could last without her. She also knew what Fareeha was about to say... and she finally realised that she felt exactly the same. Now she'd never be able to tell her... and it broke her heart.

Base command centre

Meanwhile, in the control centre for the base, Moira was watching Fareeha and Angela being split up, all part of her plan of course. Angela was relying on her friend more and more and the timing of the troopers couldn't have been better.

After Fareeha was placed in another cell, some distance away from Angela, Moira turned around and began packing a briefcase. She placed the paper with Mercy's notes inside, along with various blood and chemical samples. After placing a couple more files inside, Moira closed the briefcase.

The base commander now walked in. "Ma'am. You requested me?"

"Yes. I'm leaving the base for a few days, transporting this to my secondary facility. I'm leaving you in charge till I return."

"I can have someone else take it there if you wish ma'am."

"No. I prefer to see to this myself. I assume you understand the situation with Mercy?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good, keep to the timeline. Make sure that she cooperates and builds us that tech." Moira reached for a file, handing it to the commander. "Also, give this to Widowmaker, it's her latest assignment."

The commander took the file, saluting as he did and walked out of the command centre. Once he was gone, Moira checked around to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything and then picked up the briefcase, making her way towards the landing pad.

The commander meanwhile had walked the distance of the base and reached Widow's quarters. Both Widow and Sombra had arrived at the base a few days ago, shortly after Angela and Fareeha were captured. They'd stayed out of the way, deciding to let Moira get on with what she was doing.

The commander knocked on the door, waiting a few moments before he heard a reply.

"Enter."

The commander opened the door and stepped inside the room. Widow was sat at a table, reading and her equipment was on a counter near the back of the room. As the commander entered she placed her book down and stood up.

"Ma'am, your next assignment."

Widow accepted the document, opening and reading through it. "Thank you. Tell Sombra I need to see her and have a dropship with a small squad prepared."

"At once ma'am." The commander nodded his head, before leaving the room, closing the door as he did. Widow was left alone, reading through the file to see who her next target was.

Turned out it was a former Talon operative, who'd defected and had handed himself to the authorities. Talon insiders were saying that he wanted freedom and in return, he'd give them intel on Talon.

Just then, Sombra entered the room, not bothering to knock. She closed the door behind her and then spoke up. "Hey Widow, what's the mission then?"

"Talon defector. I'm to kill him before he talks."

"Seems easy enough. Where you going?"

Widow looked back to the start of the document, seeing the destination. However, as soon as she read it, she closed her eyes and clutched her head in pain, almost falling over. Thankfully, Sombra ran forward and caught her.

"Woah. I got you." Sombra sat Widow back down on the chair, kneeling down in front of her. "You okay?"

Widow soon opened her eyes and blinked a few times, letting go of her head as she breathed heavily. "Another memory... must of been triggered by the location I'm going to."

Sombra looked over to the file, which Widow had dropped due to the pain in her head. She picked it up and saw the location. Paris.

"What was the memory?"

Widow thought back on the memory. It was only a few pictures in her mind but somehow, she was able to put together a story.

"It was me and Gerard. We were visiting an old friend of mine in Paris. She'd just got back from her honeymoon, so we were going round to see how the newlyweds were doing. One of the images was me and him, on top of the Eiffel Tower. He'd challenged me to a race to the top. He won... though we didn't care really. It was perfect... just the two of us."

Widow snapped herself back to reality, looking straight at Sombra.

"Widow... you need to get out of here and soon." Sombra said.

"How? Where will I go? It's not like I can just go back home."

"I've got it covered. Can you get to my quarters?"

Widow stood, blinking again and took a few steps to make sure she was alright. "Oui. I can make it."

The two of them walked to Sombra's quarters, luckily just a short distance away, making sure to look as normal as possible. Once inside, Sombra locked the door and then walked to her bed, pulling out a small suitcase from under it.

"This case was built by Talon to hide your equipment from any security scanners. I've packed it full of everything you'll need. I have a place you can lay low, the address is inside. Since your going to France for your next mission, it seems obvious to escape now."

"It's so bad that I have to run?" Widow asked, slightly worried.

Sombra sighed. "Honesty... I think it is. I'm no expert at any of this... but I believe that your conditioning is going to fail, very soon."

"How soon?"

"We're talking days to a few weeks at best now."

Widow looked down at the suitcase, considering her options. There was no way she was prepared to forget her memories again but was this really the only option? She then remembered the Spider and her deal. Maybe that was another option... a far less risky one.

Suddenly, another wave of pain hit Widow. She quickly sat down on Sombra's bed, clutching her head in an attempt to reduce the pain. As the pain stopped, she looked up to see Sombra, holding a glass of water for her.

"Merci." Widow said, taking the glass and having a long drink.

"Say that again."

"What? Merci? It means..."

"I know what it means... I just thought of something." Sombra walked over to her computer, pulling up one of the bases cameras.

Sombra smiled. "Of course. We need a doctor that would be able to understand this... and she's one of the best around..."

Widow looked over to Sombra's computer. "And how exactly will you get her out? Let alone convince her to help us?"

Sombra thought for a moment. She hated to admit it but Widow was right. She would have to break Mercy out... and this base wasn't one of the easiest to escape from, Moira made sure of that.

"I'll think of something. You need to get ready to leave. Oh, one more thing." Sombra picked up a small device next to her computer. "Attach this to the inside of the dropship you go on, it'll allow me to control it. I'll cover your tracks as long as I can."

Widow nodded. She was thankful for Sombra's help but one thing was bothering her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why are you helping me? You're risking everything for me... no one's ever done that for me before."

Sombra thought for a moment, being very careful with her response. She considered that Reaper had a different motive, though she still didn't know what it was. Finally, she found an answer. "Because it's the right think to do. Go get your equipment, let me check it over for any bugs before you leave."

Widow could tell that there was more to Sombra's motive than what she said. Did she think it was bad? No. The way Sombra just spoke made her certain that she wasn't going to betray her.

Widow slowly stood up, walking towards the door and unlocking it. She looked out to make sure no one was around and then walked to her room, collecting Widow's Kiss, her thermal visor and her grappling hook. She returned to Sombra's room, once again checking her surroundings and staying as calm as she could.

Once back inside Sombra's room, she locked the door once again and placed her equipment on Sombra's desk. Sombra quickly got to work, picking up the rifle and scanning it for bugs, while Widow sat back down. She watched Sombra scan her rifle, activating the sniper configuration and checking every single part of it.

Eventually, Widow couldn't hold back her curiosity. She had to ask Sombra what her real motives were.

"Sombra."

"Hmm."

"What aren't you telling me? I can tell you're withholding something." Widow asked softly, taking her rifle back as Sombra finished checking it over.

Sombra meanwhile breathed out heavily. "You deserve to know..." She picked up Widow's thermal goggles, beginning to check them over. "Back when I joined Talon, I accessed their system and found all their important files. I read through yours... and I was horrified at what I saw. Turns out Gabe had noticed me in the system and payed me a visit. He asked me to get to know you, get you to talk to me."

Widow looked down to the floor. "So, you only spoke to me because Gabriel told you to do it?"

"At first... yes... but as time went on, I realised something. Under that wall that you'd created, that cold exterior... there was a person, someone that needed a friend. Gabe knows that your conditioning is breaking down and he trusted me with that information... but he doesn't know it's at this stage."

"You haven't told him?" Widow asked, as Sombra finished with her goggles and moved on to her grappling hook.

"No... I don't know what his motives are. I don't think he wants to harm you, he cares about us after all... in his own way. Either way, I don't want to see you reconditioned again. You'd forget everything... and I'd lose my best friend."

Widow was stunned into silence. She never realised that someone felt this way about her, or that anyone could consider her their best friend. She stood up and walked over to Sombra, making her stand and, cautiously, gave her a hug. Sombra was surprised at first but returned the gesture shorty afterwards.

"I didn't take you for the hugging type Widow." Sombra joked.

"I don't really know if I am... guess it's time to find out. Thank you for giving me this chance."

Sombra gave Widow a smile, wriggling out of the hug and looking back at the grappling hook. She finished checking it over and placed it down on her desk. "Your equipment's clean. Stand still a moment."

A scan went over Widow, checking for anything that could be a tracker. A few moments later, Sombra checked the results and was very surprised.

"You're clean... Strange, I thought Talon would have at least one tracker on you."

"I think they removed it." Widow admitted. "I remember them taking something out of my arm a while ago."

Sombra chuckled. "Guess they think you're staying."

"Sombra... do you mind if I record something for Gabriel." Widow didn't need to give a reason.

"Of course." Sombra moved over to her computer and activated the camera. "I'll leave you to it. Make sure to give the file a password, don't want just anyone watching it."

As Sombra left the room, Widow walked over and sat down, considering what to say. She honestly didn't know, since she'd never needed to say goodbye to someone before. She finally activated the recording, hoping that the words appeared.

Two hours later

Widow walked towards the dropship waiting for her. She was currently wearing her grappling hook and carrying her goggles in the one hand. In the other, she carried the suitcase, which had her rifle packed inside as well as Sombra's 'supplies.'

Widow also had a bag of makeup with her. She was very capable of covering up her blue skin, so Sombra had suggested she use it to help her escape. In all honesty, Widow had already thought of it but was glad Sombra was looking out for her. All she hoped was that Sombra's device would give her the time she needed to escape.

The dropship Talon had provided was quite small, mostly used to run around operatives and defiantly not meant to transport vast amounts of soldiers. Widow found herself on these frequently, since her missions were mostly stealth assassinations. As she stepped on board the dropship, the pilot, who was standing at the door, gave her a salute.

"Ma'am."

"Is everyone here?" Widow looked around the ship, seeing four troopers, not including the pilot.

"Yes ma'am. The team's only here in case of any complications, so it's a small one."

"Good. Launch for Paris immediately."

"Yes ma'am." The pilot gave Widow another salute and turned around, walking to the cockpit of the ship.

Widow meanwhile walked to the rear of the ship, placing the suitcase down out of the way. She then moved over to one of the seats, making sure to keep ahold of her goggles. She was using them to conceal Sombra's device. Fortunately, people never questioned her about anything, too scared to look at her most days.

The dropship then roared to life, taking off quickly and heading off towards Paris. Widow waited for about ten minutes before she stood up and walked into the cockpit, keeping her goggles close to her, hiding her true intentions.

She opened the door to the cockpit and quickly closed it again once she was inside. The cockpit was just as small as the rest of the ship, though there was room for at least two people to stand comfortably.

Upon hearing the door open, the pilot turned to see who had entered. When he saw Widow, he turned back around, letting his guard down.

"Just checking on our progress ma'am? Well, we're on track. We should be in Paris within the next thirty minutes."

What he hadn't noticed was Widow putting her thermal goggles on her head. She attached Sombra's device to the ships controls, just out of sight of the pilot. Within a few moments, the pilot realised that he was no longer controlling the ship.

"What the?"

Widow reacted quickly, pulling out her grappling hook and wrapping it around the pilots neck. He realised far too late what was happening. He desperately tried to free himself but Widow's grip was too strong for him. After a short time, Widow let him go, his dead body falling out of the chair.

She now picked up the pilots pistol and walked out the cockpit, back towards the other four troopers. She kept the pistol hidden behind her back as she reached the first trooper, who was standing with two of the other troopers, while the fourth was busy checking over his equipment.

Widow moved with extreme speed, firing her grappling hook at the closest trooper and pulling them towards her. The trooper, totally unprepared, was suddenly being used as a human shield. Widow gunned down the next two troopers with two, perfect headshots. The other trooper turned, trying to get his weapon out but never managing to in time, another perfect headshot killing him.

Widow now aimed the pistol at the remaining soldier, who had finally realised what was happening.

"Wait! We're on the same side!"

"No, we're not." With that, Widow pulled the trigger, letting the lifeless body fall to the floor.

With the troopers eliminated, Widow walked over to the suitcase and pulled out her rifle, making sure it was ready for her mission. "One more kill. One more, then I'm free."

 _Authors note_

 _Hello everyone_

 _I wanted to say sorry that this chapter took a bit longer to get out. Life kicked in and I've not been able to write much recently. Also,_ _thanks once again for reading this far and to anyone who's left feedback. It means a lot that people are interested in the story and I always read any comments people leave. (It gives me a few ideas and helps me improve where I can)_

 _Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this chapter and see you in the next one :)_


	8. Internal Conflict

**Internal Conflict**

Shambali monastery- Nepal

It was early in the morning and the sun had just begun to rise above the monastery. A thin layer of snow had fallen during the night, covering the entire area. Even with the sun up, the temperature was still very low.

Zenyatta was sat inside the sanctum, meditating as the sun continued to rise. He did this every morning, planing his day during his meditation. He had recently returned to the Shambali monastery in order to find answers regarding the Bastion, which Genji had left with him some time ago. Zen had made progress with the Bastion but could not discover all the answers. Despite their differences, he considered that the Shambali would be able to help him understand how this Bastion was back online, as well as its behaviour.

Nearby, a bird could be heard chirping. It's owner, the Bastion, was sat nearby, watching the bird as it flew around and landed on him. After a short while, the bird took off again and flew towards Zenyatta.

As it flew around him, Zenyatta extended his right arm out, allowing the bird to land on his hand. "Good morning. I see that you are ready for the day." Zenyatta said, stroking the bird with his other hand.

After a few moments, the bird flew back to the Bastion, which quickly began stroking it. Zenyatta now began to hover, ending his meditation. Just as he did, another Omnic entered the sanctum.

"An Overwatch agent named Genji has made contact. He says that he knows you." The Omnic said.

"That I do." Zenyatta replied, as the Bastion looked between the two Omnics.

"Overwatch are dangerous, they bring violence wherever they go. We do not want war at our monestary."

"He is my pupil. I assure you that he can be trusted and that he would not endanger anyone's life."

The Shambali monk considered Zen's response for a few moments, before replying. "He will be arriving momentarily."

Zenyatta bowed his head. "Thank you. Could you inform him I am here once he arrives?" The Sambali monk bowed its head in response, leaving Zenyatta and the Bastion.

Minutes passed as the two of them sat in silence. Eventually, the ever curious Bastion bleeped at Zenyatta a few times.

"It is Genji. You remember him don't you?" Zenyatta answered, understanding what the Bastion was saying.

The Bastion nodded its head and bleeped a few more times.

"I do not know why he is here. Perhaps, as you suggested, it is about you. Or maybe, he is here for another reason."

The Bastion was quickly distracted by Ganymede, who landed on its attached weapon. The Bastion began stroking the bird with its finger again, it clearly enjoying all the attention. Eventually, after a short wait, Genji appeared, followed by Hanzo, who was wearing a jacket to keep himself warm.

"Genji, a pleasure to see you again." Zen announced, causing the Bastion to look up at Genji. As it noticed Hanzo, it's head turned slightly, signalling its curiosity once again.

"Master, it is good to see you again, though I wish it were under better circumstances." Genji replied, walking over to his master and greeting him. Hanzo meanwhile walked towards the Bastion, simply watching his brother interact with his Omnic master.

"I sense conflict within you Genji. What has happened?" Zenyatta asked.

Genji struggled for a few moments, eventually finding his voice. "My friend, Angela, has been captured by Talon. We need assistance finding her... and I believe our Bastion here will be able to help."

"Do not act out of desperation my student. They will be expecting rash actions. You must remain calm and focus on the situation."

"I am master... but Angela saved my life. She is a very good friend. Talon will attempt to twist her into something else and I fear she will not be able to withstand their abuse for much longer."

"Then you must be strong for her now. That is the best course of action to get her back. If you act out of recklessness then Talon will have the advantage over you."

Zenyatta now looked over to the Bastion, which had stood up and started poking Hanzo with its finger. As the Bastion tried to poke him for a third time, Hanzo looked straight at it, which made it quickly withdraw its finger.

"May I ask who your friend here is?" Zenyatta asked.

"This is my brother, Hanzo."

Zenyatta floated over to the brother, knowing the story between him and Genji. He raised his hand and placed an orb of harmony on Hanzo.

"I sense a great deal of anger within you... as well as guilt."

"Do not act like you know me." Hanzo replied, not wanting a lecture.

"I do not need to know you. I consider that you have forgiven your brother, but not yourself. You feel a great amount of guilt for what happened and have not forgiven yourself for what you did."

Hanzo simply stared at the Omnic monk, not saying a word and not giving away anything.

"Genji has forgiven you. It is time for you to move on and face the future." With that Zenyatta floated back to Genji, placing a hand on his shoulder. "If you'll have me, I would like to assist you, my student."

"Thank you master. Any help is welcome."

The Bastion now looked over to Genji, waiting for him to speak to it.

"You remember Angela, don't you?"

The Bastion nodded.

"Talon have captured her. We need help..."

Genji didn't finish his sentence, as the Bastion nodded and primed its weapon, signaling that it was ready to help.

"Very well. Hanzo, can you take the Bastion to the dropship. I need to have a word with my master alone." Hanzo nodded, signaling for the Bastion to follow him. As he walked, he felt it poke him again. Hanzo turned around and was greeted with a wave from the Bastion, which had its head tilted slightly at him.

"His name is Hanzo. He's a friend." Genji said, realising what the Bastion wanted to know.

The Bastion's head quickly went back to normal, followed by a quick bleep. Hanzo rolled his eyes, clearly not amused and began the walk back to the dropship, the Bastion close behind him. Once they had left, Genji spoke up.

"I thought you had left the Shambali?"

"I have. However, I came back looking for answers regarding our Bastion friend."

"Have you been able to find out anything?" Genji asked, hoping that Zenyatta had managed to find out something.

"It is very inquisitive. It wants to learn about the world around it but it also understands why people are afraid of it. However, I still do not know how it came back to life."

"Does it have any idea?"

"No, it managed to break its original programming but does not know how. Something or someone else may very well be responsible. Be wary my student." Zenyatta concluded.

Genji thought over the situation as him and Zen made their way to the dropship. As they arrived, he was no closer to understanding how the Bastion had come back online. Zenyatta now moved over to the Bastion, which had sat itself down and was busy watching Ganymede. Hanzo meanwhile was sat alone, lost in his thoughts.

"Athena, set course for Gibraltar."

"At once, Genji."

As the doors closed, Genji walked over and sat near Hanzo. "Zenyatta is very wise and has helped a great many people, including myself. It may be wise to consider his words."

Hanzo was silent as the dropship took off, turning and moving off towards Gibraltar. "Perhaps you are right brother. I will consider his words."

Paris, France

Widowmaker was walking across the rooftops of Paris, approaching the location of her target with her rifle in hand. The dropship she was on had landed a short distance away, Sombra keeping it hidden so Widow had time to carry out her mission. She had left the suitcase in the ship and still needed to apply her makeup before... before disappearing.

Widow still didn't believe that she was actually doing this. Running from Talon. Working for Talon was her entire life, it was what she was created for and it was all she knew. She didn't know how to live a normal life. She didn't even know if she could anymore.

"There's only one way to find out." Widow said to herself, as she reached the rooftop near the targets apartment. Talon had identified an apartment which they believed the traitor was currently in. It was obviously heavily guarded, however, Widow knew that she could handle it.

Widow saw that there were a couple of armed guards patrolling the rooftop she was approaching. She jumped over the side of the building facing away from the target and activated her grappling hook, keeping herself hidden from them. She slowly climbed back up the side of the building, detaching the hook once she reached the top, leaving her hanging off the edge.

The guards had not noticed her, so she had the element of suprise. She quickly considered her options, formulating a plan to take out the two guards. Once both were looking away, Widow climbed up onto the roof, running towards the closest guard. She spun herself around and hit him with her arm, causing him to fall to the ground. She followed up with a kick in the face, knocking him out cold.

The second guard heard the commotion and turned around, seeing Widow and aiming at her. She quickly grabbed the gun from the first guard and threw it at the other, forcing him to dodge out of the way. She sprinted straight at the guard and hit him with her rifle, hearing an audible grunt as she forced him down and knocked him out.

With both guards out of the way, she activated her thermal sight and looked over to the target building. She saw someone sitting down, along with numerous guards all over the apartment block. This was clearly the right place. Widow now deactivated her thermal goggles, locating a window to the apartment her target was in. She walked across the rooftop until she had a clear view of her target, activating the sniper configuration and aiming at the traitors head. He was sat watching tv, with a small bowl of pasta in his lap.

"How fitting." He was nearing the end of his meal, only a few more bites remaining. So Widow simply waited, letting her target enjoy his final meal. Once he was done, he placed the empty bowl on a small coffee table, intending to move it after the show ended.

Widow knew the orders. This wasn't just a kill, it was a message. She aimed at the wall just behind him and fired. The sound of the shot and the bullet impact shook the target into reality. He quickly looked behind him and saw the where the bullet had impacted, before turning to the window where the bullet came from. As soon as he saw Widow, he knew he was dead. It didn't matter if he moved or not, she'd get him either way. The only reason Widow had missed that shot was because Talon wanted him to know they'd found him.

The man breathed in, accepting his fate and putting a finger up at Widow. She chuckled to herself, admiring the targets courage in his final moments. Time seemed to slow down as she squeezed the trigger once again, sending a bullet straight into the mans head.

As the body fell over, Widow ran over to the other side of the roof, activating her grapple and descending to the ground below. By the time the authorities had worked out who it was, Widow would be long gone. With the building hiding her position, Widow began to run back towards the dropship, everything ready for her escape.

Widow thought that the whole situation was a bit ironic. She'd just killed someone who was running away from Talon, trying to escape from their clutches. Now here she was doing exactly the same. She knew it wouldn't end the same way as his attempt though, she was too valuable an asset to simply kill. She only hoped that she'd succeed where he failed.

Once she reached the dropship, the doors opened and she stepped inside. The dropship began to take off as Widow stripped out of her outfit, finding some underwear, a pair of jeans, a long sleeved, black shirt and a pair of shoes and socks as a suitable replacement.

Once dressed, Widow packed away her rifle in the suitcase and began applying her makeup. She had covered half her face before the shuttle landed. She took another ten minutes to cover up any skin that would be showing, including her arms and part of her legs. Finally, she found a pair of contact lenses that Talon made for her to disguise her eyes. She hated these things but right now, she was glad she had them.

There was a small mirror in the case, which Widow used to look at herself. It was a big difference. Her eyes were now brown instead of gold, her skin looked a normal colour instead of blue and her clothing meant she'd pass as any normal citizen.

With her look complete, she folded up her normal outfit and put it inside the suitcase. Before she could do anything else though, her head began pounding and she was forced to clutch it, walking over to a nearby chair and sitting.

Widow sat holding her head, waiting for the pain to subside. Unlike the other times however, the pain never did, getting worse and worse until Widow couldn't take it anymore and she passed out.

She was transported into a dark room, the very same one she was in when the Spider first spoke to her. Widow was unable to move, held in place by some unknown force.

Suddenly, a woman ran past her, who she recognised as Amelie. She looked back as she ran, clearly in fear of something. Widow never had chance to call out to her, as webs suddenly emerged from the ground, wrapping around Amelie and forcing her into a sitting position.

"Step into my parlour said the Spider to the fly."

Amelie began to panic, webs covering her mouth as she tried to scream. The Spider emerged from the darkness, holding a pair of scissors. She walked over to Amelie, the webs moving her legs back and forcing her face forward.

"Now, what are we here for today? A small cut?" The Spider said, moving the scissors over Amelie's cheek and causing her to begin crying. She played with Amelie's hair, imitating a hairdresser as she continued to move the scissors over Amelie.

"You know, scissors can be very dangerous. You may not consider it..." The Spider opened the scissors, placing one of the blades against Amelie's cheek. "But they can be very sharp. You have to be careful you don't cut yourself." She whispered the last part, Amelie breathed heavily as the blade ran over her cheek. No blood was drawn, the Spider only intending to scare her.

Widow could do nothing but watch, forced to stand by as the Spider continued her scare tactic on Amelie. Eventually, the Spider looked over to Widow, smiling at her as they locked eyes.

The Spider turned back to Amelie, wrapping her arms around her. "I'm afraid I have a guest right now, so this appointment will have to wait. But don't worry Cherie, I'll be back soon." The Spider gave Amelie a kiss on the cheek, dropping the scissors in front of her and walking over to Widow.

"Ah Widow. I've been wondering if you've made a decision regarding our deal?"

Whatever force was holding Widow in place suddenly released her, allowing her to take a few steps forward.

"I... I need more time." Widow managed to say, trying her best to hide her reasoning. Unfortunately, the Spider seemed to already know.

"Why? Because you want to see how Sombra's plan unfolds? Sombra is a brilliant individual and an expert hacker but she has no idea how you work. I however am an expert at this. I can show you everything you want to know and you won't have to risk anything either... it's a win win for all."

"Not for her." Widow replied, motioning her head towards Amelie.

The Spider sighed. "Let me show you something. Maybe this will help you decide." She walked back towards Amelie, the webs holding her up letting go and she fell to the floor. Amelie quickly crawled forward and picked up the discarded scissors, standing and pointing them at the Spider.

"Stay away from me!" Amelie's voice was shaking, as were her hands. The Spider meanwhile simply smirked, clearly amused at Amelie's attempt to defend herself.

"This is cute. Go on then. Kill me."

Amelie hesitated, moving forward slightly as she debated what to do.

"Go on. You want to kill me. DO IT!"

Amelie ran forward, thrusting the scissors in an attempt to stab the Spider. The effort was ultimately in vain, as the Spider caught Amelie's hand and raised it above her head. The scissors were quickly taken from her hand and she was then thrown to the floor.

The Spider now pulled on Amelie's hair, forcing her head up and placed the scissors against her neck. "You see Widow, she isn't strong enough. You can do so much more than her. So, take these scissors and slit her throat."

"No."

"Widow, I can show you..."

"You keep saying you want me to kill her. You're in a good position to do it yourself, why don't you?" Widow asked, beginning to grow more impatient with this Spider.

The Spider meanwhile sighed, throwing away the scissors. "Because I can't. Think of me like a caretaker. I take care of you but I cannot get directly involved with how you run things."

"You seem to be doing that right now!" Widow objected, the Spider sensing that she was growing more angry with it.

The Spider stood up, slowly walking towards Widow. "I exist to keep you safe Widow. I keep these... parasites out of your mind. I can't kill them however because I don't have that power. However, if you kill them, then it's a different story. That's why I keep asking you..."

"Asking me? More like demanding me!" Widow spat back. "I am not a tool to be controlled by anyone! Not Talon and especially not you!"

The Spider now put its hands up, trying to calm Widow down. "Woah woah Widow. I'm sorry if I came across that way. I just have your best interests at heart and it angers me when I see her trying to hurt you."

"Is she? From my perspective it doesn't look that way! If she is my old memories, then why should I listen to you?"

"Because she's feeding you lies, showing you exactly what you want to see so that you go running off, endangering your life. I promise you that I'll show you the truth."

Widow turned away from the Spider, breathing heavily as she processed the situation. She was no closer to deciding what to do here but she now knew that she wanted to try Sombra's plan first. The Spider was clearly hiding something from her and she no longer wanted to speak to it.

"Okay Widow. I can see that you're a bit stressed out right now. How about we part ways for a while and I let you think this over. We'll find each other when the time is right."

Widow turned around to see the Spider smiling innocently. "I didn't mean to upset you Widow... but you shouldn't be reacting this way. Emotions make you vulnerable and she is making you weaker the longer she remains alive."

Widow didn't reply for a few moments, simply staring at the Spider with an emotionless face. "I'll think on it. Goodbye."

Widow awoke very suddenly, breathing heavily as she recalled the dream. She sat for a few moments, catching her breath. "Where do I need to go again?" She stood up and walked over to her suitcase, opening it and finding the address that Sombra had left her, quickly reading it.

"Crete? I need to get to Crete?" Widow said, knowing that the Greek island was not exactly nearby. Widow also noticed that there was another note attached to the address, turning the page and reading through it.

 _Widow_

 _Sorry I didn't tell you this earlier, couldn't risk Talon finding out about this place._

 _You need to get a flight to Greece, then get another one to Crete. Once your in Crete, make your way to the address, the keys are inside the suitcase as well as a little extra help._

Widow rummaged through the suitcase once again, finding a small paper bag. As she opened it, a welcome sight greeted her. It was a large amount of money, a fake passport as well as a credit card, with a PIN number that Sombra had attached to it. She placed most of the money back inside the suitcase, keeping a small amount of cash and the card in her pockets.

With everything she could need inside her suitcase, Widow zipped it back up and checked the dropship one more time. The dead bodies of the Talon soldiers had been placed near the back of the ship, out of the way. Other than that, nothing else was left on board. Widow picked up her suitcase, placing it outside the craft, before walking into the cockpit. She pressed a button on Sombra's device and quickly left, the doors closing after a few moments and the ship departed.

Once the ship had left, Widow pulled the handle for the suitcase up and began walking, dragging the case along as she walked through the streets. She was looking for somewhere to book a flight, hoping there was an Internet cafe somewhere. Luckily, she found one after a short walk.

She took a deep breath before walking towards the cafe, stepping inside and greeting the person manning the cafe. She sat down at a computer near the back of the cafe and brought up a travel agent website, looking for the next available flight. It didn't matter which airline, as long as it was soon.

Rome, Italy

A lone woman walked through the streets of Rome, carrying a coffee in one hand and a briefcase in the other. She sipped her coffee and passed numerous people, citizens and tourists alike, as she headed to her destination, a bakery that was out of the way in a side street.

She soon reached the bakery, opening the door and hearing a ring from a bell that hung above. To any normal person this looked like any other bakery, with a large selection of cakes and pastrys available for purchase. However, what no one knew was that the bakery was a front for Talon.

As the door closed itself, the woman walked into the back of the bakery and placed her briefcase on a large wooden table. Two more people, a man and a woman posing as the owners, walked in and joined her. The suitcase was soon opened, revealing a small collection of paperwork.

"Who are you? Where's Daniel?" Asked the man, consfused why this woman was here.

"Daniel's dead. I'm Hannah, his replacement." She responded, not looking up as she unpacked her files from the briefcase.

The two 'owners' were shocked. "Dead. How?" The man asked.

"Soldier 76. I'll spare you the details but in short, Moira's plan backfired. I assume you still have that protection hanging around." By protection, Hannah meant two trained Talon soldiers, which simply sat around and kept the place secure. If anyone started causing trouble, they got rid of them.

"Yeah, they're still up there. Don't do much really, no one ever bothers us." The woman owner said. Just as she said that, the bell above the door rang, informing the occupants that someone had entered. "I'll go deal with this customer." She said, walking off to the front of the store.

As she left Hannah and the other 'owner,' she overheard them talking about a mission in Rome that would require some agents to lay low. This place was frequently used as a hideout for Talon, so it would be no surprise if more agents were going to visit.

As she reached the shop front, she saw a lady in a cloak bent over the counter. She was looking closely at the various cakes available. "See anything that takes your fancy madam?" The fake owner asked, putting on her character.

"Oh, there's a few things. Though, he has a few questions for you." The cloaked lady looked up, revealing her face with a noticeable eyepatch. She was pointing to the right of the owner. As the owner looked to her right, she froze in fear.

Soldier 76 was stood out of sight, aiming a silenced pistol right at her. How he had managed to get through the city unnoticed was one of the many thoughts she had. "Nice place you have here. Shame it's all a Talon front."

Before the fake owner could reply, Ana fired a sleep dart into her chest, which quickly put her to sleep. Morrison caught the unconscious woman, placing her on the floor, while Ana turned a small sign on the door, changing it from open to closed. They both picked up their rifles, which were placed out of sight, against the counter.

With their weapons in hand, Morrison walked further into the shop, finding a table with an open briefcase and a man and woman talking. The man looked up, noticing Soldier and simply muttering two words.

"Oh crap."

Hannah now turned around, coming face to face with Soldier 76. "I suppose I should be thanking you. If you hadn't killed my predecessor, I wouldn't have been promoted."

"Do I look like I care?" Morrison replied, as Ana put the man to sleep, not bothering to catch him. "Now, your going to tell me what I want to know."

Hannah smirked to herself. "That's not going to happen."

"We'll see. After all, I'm very persuasive." With that, a sleep dart hit Hannah, sending her into a deep sleep.

One hour later

Hannah awoke from her nap, looking around the room and seeing the two owners, as well as one of the soldiers, tied up in a line. The other soldier was lying on the floor, a small amount of blood visable. It was clear that he'd been shot, so Hannah guessed the two guards had attempted to fight back in a very one sided fight. She attempted to break free from her bonds that tied her to a chair, to no avail.

Soldier 76 now walked into the room, dragging another chair in front of the line of Talon agents. "I may not be Reaper but I still know how Blackwatch worked. Now, I'm going to be very clear. I'm short on time and patience. You're going to tell me exactly what I want to know, no bullshit, no lying, just the truth."

The Talon soldier laughed. "We're dead either way. So why would I tell you..." the trooper never finished, as Morrison shot him in the chest with a silenced pistol, the bullet going straight through his heart, killing him.

"Yeah... maybe I'm a little rusty at this. Going to talk yet?" The three remaining Talon agents simply nodded, clearly shaken by the troopers death.

"Talon recently captured two women, Angela Ziegler and Fareeha Amari. Where are they?"

The three Talon agents looked at each other, none of them knowing the answer. This simply frustrated Morrison.

"Okay, let's try another question. Moira has them at a base. Where is that base?" His tone was now more aggressive, intending to frighten the Talon agents in front of him.

The two owners still didn't know, starting to panic as they realised Soldier was very short on patience. Hannah meanwhile thought for a moment. "There's a base on the border of Italy and Switzerland..."

Morrison now turned to Hannah, staring straight at her. "What about it?"

"Moira took it over a while back. I don't know what she does there, I don't need to know what happens, but maybe that's where those two women are."

Morrison had one more question. "Where is this base?"

"I don't know."

"Are you sure about that?" Morrison said, raising his weapon up and aiming at one of the other Talon agents.

"I don't know exactly but I have a brief idea." Hannah clarified.

Morrison now looked over at the other two Talon agents. "Either of you have any idea where it is?"

The two fake owners both shook their heads, causing Morrison to stand up and walk over to them. He quickly fired at both of them, two bullets in each of their chests.

"Tell me everything you know." Morrison now ordered the last Talon agent, as he sat back down on his chair.

Hannah simply looked at the dead Talon agents, considering her options. "If I tell you... will you let me go?"

Morrison slowly nodded his head.

Hannah took a deep breath. "I was sent here as a replacement for the guy you killed in Boston. They told me what he knew, that there are a few bases scattered across Europe. One is controlled by Moira and it's on the border between Italy and Switzerland."

"That's not exactly a small area."

"I don't know exactly where it is, I've never been there. They tell us very little so if we're captured we don't have much to give. The best I can give you is it's past Milan, close to the border between the two countries."

Morrison now stood up, walking behind the Talon agent. He went out of sight for a few moments, prompting Hannah to speak up. "I've told you what I know, will you let me go?" She asked softly, not wanting to anger her interrogator.

"That's the thing. I lied."

"NO! WAIT!" Hannah was suddenly silenced, Morrison finishing her off with a single shot to the back of her head. He had what he wanted and he wasn't prepared to let anyone here live.

He stepped out of the room, seeing Ana pacing back and forth. As soon as he stepped out she turned to him. "Did you get anything? Please tell me you did."

"No one knew an exact location but one of them gave me a pretty good idea where to look. However, we'll need some help."

Watchpoint Gibraltar

Lena was sat away from everyone else, her eyes glued to a large tv screen. She currently had a world news channel on, listening to what was going on.

 _"The UN has yet to decide on a approach to tackling the threat imposed by the terrorist group Talon after a number of meetings. The UN Security Council acknowledged that Talon had become a major enemy against the world but stopped short on passing any resolutions. They also noted an increase in public opinion to revoke the Petras Act, which was passed to make any action from the Overwatch group illegal."_

 _"A meeting of the UN General assembly is due in the next few days, with the UK expected to push for further international cooperation on tackling Talon. Despite public opinion however, the UK ambassador is not expected to suggest revoking the Petras Act."_

Lena now turned off the tv, sitting and thinking to herself. She felt powerless right now, just sat here doing nothing. She wanted to be out there, finding Angela and Fareeha, stopping Talon's plan. She sighed, seeing no other option but to wait. Lena stood up and walked towards the rest of the agents, counting how many people were currently here.

Everyone was sat waiting for Morrison and Ana to check in, all of them wishing that they had asked for backup. The base had a few more occupants recently, as friends of Overwatch had responded to Winston's call for help. Lucio and DVa were currently talking with Reinhardt, getting a run through the situation. Zarya wasn't too far away either, having to do something before joining the team. Reinhardt had also called in some backup but hadn't told anyone who it was.

A dropship was soon seen landing, which Winston assumed was Zarya and Reinhardt's backup, since Genji's dropship was still some distance away. After a short wait, Zarya entered the lab, shortly followed by another woman.

"Zarya, thank you for coming." Winston said, walking over and shaking her hand.

"Do not worry, we will find doctor Ziegler as well as her friend. By the way, who's the new girl? I haven't seen her here before."

"I don't know. Reinhardt said he knew her."

"She did mention that. Said she'd traveled with him for some time."

Once Zarya mentioned that detail, Torbjorn, who was busy checking some equipment, looked up. He suddenly realised who the mystery person was. He quickly stood up, walking towards the door and seeing them walk in.

"Brigitte. What are you doing here?"

Most of the Overwatch agents stopped what they were doing and walked over, watching the pair as they spoke to each other.

"I'm here to help dad. Reinhardt told me everything."

"You're not fighting Talon, it's far too dangerous."

"It's no more dangerous than the people me and Reinhardt fight."

"There's a big difference between a fight against Talon and the battles you two end up in."

"Dad..."

"No, listen to me. I know far too well the risks involved with Overwatch." Torb held up his prosthetic arm, making it very clear what he was on about. "I don't want you to be hurt like I was."

Brigette thought for a moment. She hated to admit it but her father had a point. However, she knew Overwatch needed her help, so she was certain to get her own way. "Dad, you need all the help you can get to find Angela..."

"She is an excellent warrior Torbjorn. I trained her myself and I am sure she will be a great help." Reinhardt interupted, hearing a grumble from Torb as he realised he wasn't winning.

"You're as stubborn as Reinhardt, you know that right?" Torb said to Brigitte, admitting defeat. This gained a small smile from her.

"Maybe a little of him rubbed off on me."

"Let's hope you didn't get his habit of rushing into a fight without a team behind you." Torb sarcastically commented. "Just... be careful alright."

Brigitte took Torb's hand. "I am honoured to fight by your side father and I promise I'll be careful."

Torb nodded, clearly uncomfortable with the idea that his daughter would be fighting alongside him. Before anyone could go back to doing their own thing, Athena spoke up.

"Winston, there is an incoming call from Soldier 76."

Lena was the first to react, blinking up to the main computer, with Winston not far behind. "Put him through."

Athena accepted the call, putting Morrison onto speaker.

"What have you got?" Winston asked, everyone holding their breath as they waited for Morrison's reply.

"I have a rough location. They're being held somewhere in Italy, between Milan and the border of Switzerland."

"That's the best you could do?" Lena interrupted, annoyed with the lack of progress. "We need more concrete intel then that!"

"Do you think it's that easy Oxton?" Morrison replied, now equally frustrated. "Talon aren't exactly going to leave that kind of information lying around are they? That's the best I can do with the time we have."

Lena took a deep breath, realising what she just said. It wasn't anyone's fault, so it wasn't fair to take it out on Morrison. "Yeah, your right. Sorry, I'm just..."

"I understand Oxton. Don't worry about it."

Winston put his hand on Lena's shoulder, reassuring her. "I assume you want some help looking for that base?" Winston asked Morrison.

"Correct. A couple more dropships to help cover the area."

"We'll be there soon." Winston hung up the call, immediately contacting Genji.

"Genji, change course towards Italy, Athena will fill you in."

"Understood."

Winston now turned to Lena, who was looking up at him. She clearly wanted to be on that second dropship. "Lena, take a team and head over to Italy."

Lena nodded at Winston, turning and heading towards the door. She paused and selected her team, choosing DVa, Lucio, McCree and Brigitte to accompany her. The team followed her lead, running out of the lab and towards the hanger.

"Shouldn't we have a third team out there as well?" Reinhardt asked.

"Best not. Three dropships are already out there and we need some agents here in case Talon launches another attack." As if on cue, Athena spoke up once again.

"Winston, there's a situation developing in India."

Athena put a news report on the main screen, the image of the Vishkar tower filling the screen.

 _"Breaking news from Utopaea, India, where an attack on the Vishkar corporation headquarters is currently underway. While details are sketchy, it is suspected that hostages have been taken and are being held on the top floor. Witnesses have also reported a man in black walking around, which is suspected to be the terrorist named Reaper."_

"It's like they're listening to us." Mei said, turning to a computer and searching on the internet for any more information.

"Should we head over there?" Reinhardt asked.

Before Winston could answer, the situation developed again. The entire top floor of the tower exploded, with several floors underneath soon following. People could be seen running for cover, as parts of the building rained down on the streets below.

"Well, that answers that question."

Vishkar Corporation- Utopaea, India- Ten minutes earlier

Symmetra began to wake up, quickly realising what had happened. She attempted to move, only to realise that her arms were tied down to a chair, a very comfy chair she had to admit. Satya looked up and saw Reaper talking to... Sanjay.

"Sanjay? What are you doing?" She demanded to know.

"Haven't you worked it out?" Sanjay walked forward, stopping a short distance away, placing his arms behind his back

"How could you? How could you side with these... monsters."

"We have... an arrangement. One that will make Vishkar a lot of money."

"So Brazil? That tower explosion was Talon?" Satya knew something wasn't right the day that happened. She never suspected though that Sanjay was actually in league with Talon all this time. "That was unnecessary, we could of got that contract another way."

Sanjay simply chuckled. "Perhaps, though it saved a lot of time doing it my way."

Satya noticed Reaper turn and stare at Sanjay, almost like something else was going on, something that Sanjay didn't know. "So, why attack your own company?"

"An operation went wrong, one that risked the link between Talon and Vishkar being found out. So we're covering our tracks." Sanjay was being very honest as Satya had a suspicion why.

"Why am I still alive then? Everyone else is dead."

"Well, we need someone important to kill. A shame really, you were our best architect."

"Enough!" Reaper interrupted. "The authorities are surrounding the building."

Sanjay smiled at Satya, giving her a pat on her shoulder before turning back to Reaper. "Vishkar thanks you for you service. Goodbye Satya."

Sanjay expected Reaper to move, however he simply stood, staring at him.

"Go on then. Kill her."

"Change of plan. Akande found a better target."

"Oh really? Who did he select then."

Reaper didn't answer, remaining in the exact same position and continued to stare at Sanjay. He soon realised what was happening.

"Hang on a minute. I'm one of Talon's major investors! I'm part of the inner council!"

"You gave us a ship still registered to Vishkar and exposed the link to Talon. You blew up a building in order to get a contract, when that was a last resort. You've become very reckless recently."

Sanjay gulped. He guessed that the other Talon troopers knew what Reaper was planning, meaning he had no way out. Luckily, he had one more card he could play. "If you kill me, Talon will lose a major investor. All that money you'd lose would put a major hole in your finances."

Sanjay had a smug look on his face, assuming that Reaper would consider Talon's best interests first. However, his grin faded quickly, as Reaper began to laugh

"Yeah, Akande thought you'd say that. Thing is, someone else offered us more." Reaper now reached forward, grabbing Sanjay by the neck with one hand and holding him up. "See, they get a promotion in Vishkar, your job actually and we get more resources. Everyone wins. Well, except you of course."

A weapon materialised in Reapers free hand, aiming it at a large window and firing at it twice. He threw the gun away and walked over to the damage window. He pushed Sanjay through the broken glass, shattering the window and held Sanjay over the large drop.

Sanjay was now holding onto Reaper's arm, trying to stop him from letting go. Reaper chuckled as he saw the desperate attempt to stop him dropping his victim.

"How did you put it? Ah yes. Talon thanks you, but your services are no longer required." With that Reaper let go, hearing Sanjay scream as he fell the distance of the tower.

Reaper watched as Sanjay fell, losing sight of him long before he hit the ground. As soon as he was satisfied, Reaper turned around and spoke to the Talon soldiers. "Are the explosives on the lower floors in place?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, continue with the plan, set explosives on this level and extract any intel you can off the computers." The trooper nodded his head, quickly ordering the other troopers to various locations around in the tower. Reaper now contacted the Talon dropship.

"Move the ship to the top level and prepare for extraction."

"What about me then?" Satya's question caused Reaper to turn and look at her. "I guess I'm just left here?"

"Fortunately for you, Talon has other plans. Otherwise you'd already be dead."

"What are those plans?"

"I don't know and frankly, I don't care. All I know is that Doomfist wants to speak to you. After that it's anyones guess." With that, Reaper walked away, checking various locations for any survivors that were hiding. Unfortunately, he managed to find a few and their screams were silenced shortly afterwards.

Satya could do nothing but sit and wait, as the Talon soldiers returned one by one. The dropship appeared shortly before the last two troopers returned and she was bundled inside.

They were only a short distance away from the tower when Satya watched it explode. Not that she cared anymore. Everything she knew about Vishkar was now in question, her entire life working for them may of simply been her helping Talon. She began to question if her entire life had been a lie? Was she selected to become an architect for another reason, one that she didn't know?

Satya knew she'd never find these answers out, she'd probably be dead long before anyone realised she wasn't in the tower. She hoped however that whoever had found the link between Talon and Vishkar worked it out, seeing through this attempt to hide it.


	9. Betrayal From Within

**Betrayal from Within**

Charles de Gaulle airport- Paris, France- One day later

Widow was surrounded. Tourists, businessmen and women, staff members and police were all going about their lives, none the wiser that Talon's best assassin was hidden among them. She had managed to find a flight, luckily one that was in a few hours, so here she was, waiting in line for the check in desk.

Widow was extremely on edge. Talon didn't send her through airports often, they rarely had a reason to, so being in one surrounded by security made her natural instincts kick in. She found herself analysing the area for possible escape routes as well as potential threats. She had to force herself to stop, dragging her eyes back to look elsewhere.

It wasn't like this was new to her though, she'd been through this very airport on her way to Monaco, using a fake name, Danielle Guillard. Widow didn't really know what name she was using this time, not taking any time to look at the passport Sombra gave her. She simply assumed that Sombra gave her the same name on her new passport, having a lot more on her mind to worry about it right now.

After a long wait, she finally reached the check in desk, waiting for her turn before walking up to the lady manning the desk, placing her case on the conveyor to be weighed.

"Bonjour Madame. Comment allez-vous?"

"Bien, merci."

Widow placed a handbag on the counter, rooting around and finding the travel information as well as her fake passport. She had bought the handbag before she left the city centre, among a few other things. Inside she had a purse, containing her money and the credit card Sombra had given her, as well as some lipstick and a pair of sunglasses, all of which she bought at the same time as the bag.

The lady looked at her travel documents, turning to look at her suitcase and placing a label around the handle, indicating its destination. Widow kept her eye on the case as the woman attached the labels. Inside was her rifle and her equipment, so she was very uneasy about letting it go.

As the case began to move away, heading towards the plane, the woman on the desk asked Widow a few questions, mainly if she'd been given anything suspicious to take on board as well some general ones to make light conversation.

After a few minutes, which felt like an hour for Widow, the woman handed over her boarding pass and informed Widow of the gate number. Widow gave her thanks, before heading towards the security checks so that she could pass into departures.

This was the thing that worried Widow the most. It was very unlikely that anyone would recognise her, even if pictures of her as Widowmaker existed. However, being so close to security was always a risk, especially without a weapon. As Widow waited in line to be checked, she once again began to analyse the area, stopping after a few seconds once she realised what she was doing.

"Calm down Widow, everything will be okay." She said to herself, showing her boarding pass once she was at the bag check. She placed her handbag through and stepped through the metal detector, being stopped in her tracks as the machine went off.

"Oh no..."

A security guard quickly stepped forwards, patting her down and checking for anything metal. Widow did her best to keep herself calm, resisting the urge to attack, like her instincts were screaming at her to do. The guard stood up, waving her on as he never found anything.

Once she collected her handbag, Widow walked into the departures lounge, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding. It worked. Somehow, she'd managed to get through security without a single problem. Now all she had to do was get to Greece, then do all of this again. She had a sense of confidence though, despite how risky all of this was. If she'd managed it once, she could do it again.

Now that she was out of immediate danger, Widow walked over to a bench and sat down, considering her next move. There were a few hours before the flight, so she needed to keep herself occupied. As she was thinking, she wondered how Sombra had done with her fake passport. She opened her handbag and picked out the passport, opening it and looking at who she currently was.

It turned out that Sombra had built her an entire new identity, giving her the name of Amelie Garcia. What also surprised Widow was the picture. It looked exactly like her right now, right down to the eye colour and red lipstick. Sombra was obviously very good with creating fake documents. Widow now placed the passport away, finding her lipstick and applying some, before sealing the handbag.

For now, all she had to do was wait for her flight. She noticed a restaurant and decided to grab some food. Perhaps it would help her take her mind off everything.

Talon facility- Italy

Broken. That's what Mercy was right now. Without Fareeha, Mercy felt more alone then she ever did and Talon pressed their advantage over her. Mercy was currently sat working on a new caduceus staff, a Talon soldier watching her every move. It wasn't like she wanted to, everything in her head was telling her to stop or find a way to sabotage the staff so that it didn't work. The problem was that her heart was telling her that there was no other way.

A short time after they were separated, Talon showed Angela an image of Fareeha in her cell. They said that if she listened to their instructions, then Fareeha wouldn't be harmed. That was all it took to make Angela work, starting with a new healing staff, similar to the one she had left at Gibraltar.

As time went on, Angela looked up from her work, rubbing her eyes due to how long she'd been working. The Talon guard noticed almost immediately, moving forward and grabbing her head, pushing it back down.

"WORK!"

"I'm tired and hungry. I can't keep going for much longer." Angela spat back, regretting her outburst a few seconds later, as the trooper slapped her face. Before the trooper could inflict any further pain, the door to the room opened and the base commander stepped in.

"Is there a problem here?" He asked, seeing the guard threatening Mercy.

"She's refusing to work. I think we need to show her what happens to..."

"Perhaps you should think with your head rather than your muscle. She is only human, she needs to rest every once in a while." The commanders words annoyed the guard, who now turned to face him.

"With all due respect, she's simply trying to stall us. If you can't see that..."

The guard's objection was quickly silenced by a gunshot, the commander firing his pistol into the wall behind him. "I've be a part of numerous projects such as this, most noteably Widowmaker. I assure you I know what I'm doing. So get in line soldier."

The way the commander spoke, without raising his voice once, was a clear indication of his experience. Only the best officers could speak so calmly and make it seem like a threat.

The guard now stood staring at his superior. He dared not try to draw his weapon, he knew it wouldn't end in his favour. After a few tense moments, he admitted defeat. "Sorry sir."

The commander smirked. "Fetch her some food and water. Then give her a few hours to rest. She'll be able to work more effectively then."

The guard nodded, walking off to find Mercy a meal. The commander now spoke to her. "My apologies for his actions. I hope he didn't harm you."

"Don't try it." Angela replied, not even looking over to the commander.

"Don't try what?"

"Don't try to act like my friend. I know what your doing, trying to make me think you're looking out for me so I cooperate more."

The commander smirked once again. Even now, Mercy was still defiant. "I think you'll see me as a friend very soon. We have our ways of changing your mind. Enjoy your meal doctor."

As the commander left, Angela was presented with some food and a small glass of water. It wasn't much but it would take the edge off her hunger. She ate slowly, trying her best to make the food last. Once she'd eaten, she planned to lay down on the makeshift bed and close her eyes, hoping to get at least a small amount of sleep.

As the commander left Mercy's room, he was approached by a Talon scientist, holding a clipboard in her hand. "Is Miss Amari ready for stage two?" The commander asked.

"Yes. Not knowing what has happened to doctor Ziegler has weakened her resolve. She is far more suggestible at this current stage."

"Excellent. Has the chemical formula arrived?"

"Yes sir. It's ready to be administered at any moment."

"Good. Proceed forward with miss Amari. By the time the good doctor realised what we've done, it'll be far too late to do anything about it. Then, we do the same to her."

"Understood sir." The scientist walked off towards the labs, letting the commander walk slowly back to the command centre.

Sombra's quarters

Sombra was staring at her computer screen, taking in everything she'd just witnessed. With Widow gone, she knew she was working with mere hours now. She needed to get both Mercy and Pharah out, neither one would go without the other. On top of that, the second she made a move to rescue either one, Talon would work out who'd betrayed them.

Right now, she was busy looking up the commander, trying to find out anything she could about him. Her back door had allowed her access into most of the systems in this base, letting her hear everything that happened. It only took her a moment to find his file, finding out that he was indeed telling the truth. He'd been a part of the project to create Widowmaker, helping shape her when she was still Amelie.

"No wonder Moira put him in charge."

Her view quickly changed to Fareeha, seeing the door to her cell open and several scientists walk in. She was picked up and dragged towards one of the labs, which was being prepared to begin her conditioning. Two scientists were messing with a specialist chair, which was used to inject large amounts of chemicals into a person. Moira had ordered it transferred here once the Talon cargo ship had been raided, wanting it for her newest recruit.

Sombra now looked up the eta for the dropship, seeing that it was only ten minutes away. She still had full control over the ship Widow had used to get to France and she knew it was full of dead Talon soldiers. Fortunately, the device connected to its controls allowed her to access the ships systems and she'd already begun the process of overloading the engines. It was the first part of her elaborate plan to escape with the two prisoners.

"Come on, come on. Hurry up!" She said to the screen, increasing the speed of the dropship to maximum. She needed that ship here very urgently, those chemicals were a new formula and she didn't know what they would do.

She now opened a document on her computer and read through her plan one more time. Sombra couldn't afford for anything to go wrong, so she was making sure she'd thought of every probable scenario. Once she was satisfied, she deleted the file and commenced a system purge. She selected everything but one folder. In this file contained Widow's message and password.

When all the other files were confirmed deleted, Sombra created a new document, saving it in the exact same location as Widow's message.

 _Code 14._

 _Don't try and cover it up, it's too late._

 _Sombra._

With that done, Sombra activated the device on the incoming dropship, now only a few minutes away. As a final measure, she disabled all outbound communications, leaving the facility unable to call for reinforcements. With that, Sombra dropped a translocator and then began to walk towards the command centre. She had one last thing to do before she began her prison break.

Command centre

The base commander arrived and quickly walked over to a console. There were four officers controlling the base, watching over different aspects of day to day operations.

"Contact Miss O'Dorian." The commander ordered, a woman sat in to his left obeying.

She attempted to contact Moira directly, trying three times before she gave in. "I can't establish the connection sir."

"Problem with our end or hers?"

The woman tried to contact another base, only to face the same issue. "Looks like ours sir, I can't raise anyone outside the base." Just then, another Talon operative, a man this time, spoke up.

"Sir, the dropship transporting Widowmaker is about to land."

"Excellent. Have her report to me immediately for debriefing."

The officer nodded, contacting the now landing dropship.

"Dropship zero three seven come in." No answer. "Dropship zero three seven, do you read me?" The officer turned to the others in the room. "Fault with the communications array perhaps? Bird flown into it and caused some damage?"

"Eh, possible but even then I'd be surprised if one bird caused this big a fault." Another officer commented.

"Check external cameras." The commander ordered, considering an attack may be imminent. After a quick scan, no evidence of an incoming attack could be seen.

Meanwhile, the dropship was now hovering in place, waiting for the landing bay doors to open. A panel on the ground began to open, hidden by some fake grass which blended into the surroundings. Once the doors were open, the dropship descended and landed inside the main bay.

As the doors opened, two troopers stepped on board to check over the dropship. They were shocked to discover all the troopers on board were dead, piled up at the rear of the ship.

"MEDIC!" The two troopers ran over to the bodies, checking for any life signs. "Check the cockpit, MOVE!" The one trooper ordered the other, who quickly ran towards it.

The trooper was greeted with a red alert, signifying that the engines were about to explode.

"Crap."

The entire dropship was engulfed in flames, as it exploded without any warning. The two troopers inside were instantly killed, several more being injured by the blast. Fortunately the hanger doors were closed, otherwise the entire outside world would be able to see the smoke.

The explosion rocked the entire base, causing an alarm to go off and the emergency sprinklers to activate in sections near the hanger.

"Status report!" The commander ordered, recovering from the blast that shook the entire base.

"Explosion in the hanger bay, looks like the ship Widow was on exploded."

"Survivors?"

"Unknown sir."

"Base emergency protocols are now in effect sir. All non essential systems are now offline."

The commander lowered his head, slightly frustrated. "Get us back online ASAP and have troops moved to deal with this incident."

Just then, Sombra ran into the commander centre, acting like she was out of breath. "What the hell was that?" She asked, playing dumb.

"Explosion Sombra. Don't worry, I have it under control." The commander replied, not wanting to get involved in a conversation right now.

"What do you mean explosion? What's happened?" Sombra asked again, walking up the commander and pretending to try and view the screen. What she actually was doing was getting as close as possible.

"As I said, I have it under control. I'll give you more information..." It was at this moment that Sombra hit him over the head with her SMG. The commander fell forward, giving Sombra a perfect view of the other officers in the room. She gunned the four down in seconds, only able to move a few steps once they realised what was happening.

With the other officers dead, Sombra aimed at the commanders head, removing his pistol and throwing it away. She stepped back, allowing the commander to stand and turn to face her.

"Communications blocked, explosion in the hanger. You're in a lot of trouble Sombra." He commented.

"A pity no one else knows what's happening." Sombra replied. She knew she had some time now, the emergency protocol would cut power to the large chair she'd seen earlier. Pharah was safe for now.

"So, I'm guessing you're trying to escape, killing the high level staff and letting people wonder what was happening." The commader began, working out Sombra's plan. "The explosion was a distraction so that we'd be too busy searching for Widowmaker. So the question is, how did you get it onto Widow's shuttle? You couldn't of killed her, she knows how you operate and she's far stronger..."

Sombra simply stared at him, her SMG still aimed at his head. He suddenly realised what had happened, chuckling to himself. "So, incident 314 wasn't a one off after all. Widow's escaping and you're covering her tracks. Now the question is why?"

Sombra now stepped forward, lowering her weapon so that it was aiming at the commanders chest. "Were you part of her original conditioning?" She demanded to know.

"That I was." The commader smiled, clearly proud of his work. "I have a new question. Like to hear it?"

Sombra didn't flinch, resisting the urge to just gun the commander down. "Go on then."

"I will oversee her conditioning once she's recaptured but this time, I wonder who will scream louder? Her... or you?"

Sombra didn't know why but her blood was boiling. That comment pushed her over the edge, making her speak out in pure anger. "This is for Widow you son of a bitch!"

Sombra fired an entire magazine into the commander, his body falling onto the main console as she vented her anger. Once she ran out of bullets, Sombra stood for a moment, breathing heavily as she reloaded her weapon. She'd seen everything that happened to Widow. She knew he didn't deserve to live.

With the commander dead, Sombra walked over to a different computer and uploaded a custom made virus. It went to work immediately, unlocking every single door in the facility and wiping all the CCTV footage for the last few hours. Within a few seconds, some of the prisoners began to step out, attacking a few of the guards unfortunate enough to be in the way.

Sombra now translocated back to her quarters, leaving them and running straight to the armoury. She managed to get there just before the now rioting prisoners did, seeing two armed guards aiming rifles towards them. Sombra didn't need to think, raising her weapon up and firing at the two guards.

All of the escaped prisoners stopped in their tracks, simply staring at Sombra. She was the only one who had a weapon, so she was able to kill them with ease. Instead of firing, Sombra spoke, her words taking everyone by surprise.

"Remember who gave you this chance."

The prisoners simply nodded, thanking Sombra as she picked up a pistol from one of the dead troopers and then walked passed them. She now ran towards the main power generator, adrenaline from the situation keeping her going. The generator was left unguarded thanks to the chaos that she'd caused in the hanger and the now heavily armed prisoners rioting. No one noticed her slip inside and walk right up to the generator. She charged up her EMP, moving on to the next part of her plan.

"APAGANDO LAS LUCES!"

Fareeha's cell, ten minutes earlier

Fareeha was sat at the back of her cell, lost in her thoughts. She couldn't stop thinking about Angela, worried what had happened to her. If Talon had continued the way they were, Angela wouldn't be able to resist them.

Her thoughts turned to her mother, wondering how close she was to finding her. Fareeha had managed to overhear the plans for her, in all honesty Talon didn't bother keeping it a secret. They were going to move forward with her conditioning and she knew this meant her time was running out.

Fareeha started to think of any happy memories she could, knowing that she'd soon forget them all. Times when she was a child, the day she found her mother again, days spent with Angela. She only wished she had a little longer, maybe then her mother would reach her in time.

Fareeha was dragged back into her harsh reality, as the door to her cell unlocked and a number of Talon scientists walked in. She was quickly dragged out of the cell and across the base. Eventually, she was dragged into a lab, where a large chair was set up. Fareeha was secured into the chair before two other scientists entered the room, one carrying a clipboard while the other began checking over the chair.

"Are you sitting comfortably Miss Amari?"

"What is this thing?" Fareeha asked, trying the restraints to see how strong they were. Unfortunatly, they seems quite strong, clearly able to take a lot of force.

The scientist finished her checks before answering. "Doctor Ziegler is busy working for us, but once she's finished, we want to permanently recruit her. This is a new method that we're testing. You're our lab rat."

Fareeha began to struggle, desperately trying to work her way out of the restraints. The scientists began to load the chemicals into the machine, two entire bottles emptied inside. Fareeha was still struggling, not admitting defeat.

"Don't struggle Miss Amari, it simply makes the experience more painful. I'd simply think back on your memories. It'll be the last time you'll remember them."

The scientists words simply made Fareeha struggle more. "No, not like this!" Her life flashed before her eyes, everyone she ever knew and loved. She refused to be changed by this machine, she couldn't be changed.

"Administering chemical in three... two... one."

Before anything could happen, a massive rumble was felt through the base and the machine Fareeha was strapped to shut down. She let out a sigh of relief as the chief scientists groaned in annoyance.

"What just happened?"

"I don't know... Seems emergency protocol's kicked in, all non essential systems are offline."

The scientist groaned again, turning to face Fareeha. "Don't worry. We'll be back on track very shortly."

They all waited about two minutes before an alarm went off, followed by all the lights going out and emergency lighting coming on.

Fareeha couldn't help but gloat. "I guess that's not to your plan then?"

The scientists began to panic. If the emergency lighting was on, then something was very wrong. The situation got worse when the emergency lighting also shut off, leaving the entire room in darkness. Fareeha would have taken this opportunity to escape if she wasn't still secured to the machine.

As the scientists continued to panic, the room was lit up by a purple light. Everyone realised far too late who it actually was, as the scientists were gunned down one by one. The emergency lights finally came back on and the chief scientists was on her knees, a SMG held to her head.

"Please... don't."

"Oh... because you listened to your other victims didn't you?" Sombra pulled the trigger, killing the last scientists without a second thought. She looked over to Fareeha, activating her hacking device and diverting a small amount of power to the machine, just enough so that Fareeha was able to be freed.

"Come on. Angela needs you."

Fareeha stood up, rubbing her wrists. She knew who just saved her life. Angela once mentioned a woman in purple, the master hacked known as Sombra. "Why are you helping us? You're Talon."

"Was Talon... I have my reasons for helping you. I'll explain them later. Right now, Angela needs rescuing."

Fareeha considered the answer, or lack of one. Sombra was definitely hiding something, yet the way she spoke, full of emotion and regret, told Fareeha that she could be trusted. "Lead the way."

Sombra did just that, keeping her SMG ready as she checked every corner. Fareeha kept pace with Sombra, even with the injuries she had. She just hoped that Angela was okay.

After a short run through the base, they both arrived outside the room Angela was in. At this point Sombra was starting to feel a little tired, all the running finally getting to her. She quickly regained her breath before she turned around to face Fareeha.

"I can't raise the cameras in there now so I don't know what's going on. I need you to be ready." Sombra handed Fareeha the pistol she'd picked up.

Fareeha took ahold of the weapon, checking it over and taking the safety off. As soon as she was ready, Sombra kicked open the door, expecting at least one Talon soldier standing guard. What she found surprised her more than anything else she'd ever seen.

There stood Mercy, with the Talon trooper on his knees. Somehow, during all the chaos, Angela had managed to overpower the guard and steal his weapon. Now she had his pistol and looked ready to kill him at any second.

"Well. I didn't expect to see this."

"Don't move. Move and he's dead!" Angela was full of rage. She wanted to fire, to kill every single Talon agent here. Most of all, she wanted to find Moira, make her pay for everything she and Fareeha had been through, for killing that innocent girl. She didn't even know if Fareeha was still alive.

"Ang?"

Angela's anger quickly vanished, like a switch had been flicked. She knew who that was, without needing to see her. "Faree. Is that you?"

Fareeha walked from behind Sombra, putting on a small smile and talking softly. "It's me. I'm okay." Fareeha noticed the pistol aimed at the troopers head. "Ang, what are you doing?"

Angela's anger returned, pushing the weapon further into the troopers head. "He doesn't deserve to live. None of them do! They tortured us and dozens of innocent people! They killed that girl just to get to me! I'll be doing the world a favour!"

Fareeha was honesty terrified. This wasn't Angela. She needed to get her back. "Ang, put the gun down. This isn't you."

Angela thought for a second. "I can't! I can't let them get away with this! That girl had her whole life ahead of her... and they took it away without a second thought."

"You couldn't of stopped it Ang. Please, don't do this."

"What if I'd listened Faree? What if I'd done what they asked sooner?"

"It wouldn't have made any difference." Both Angela and Fareeha were caught off guard by Sombra. She spoke so softly, understanding the situation. "That girl was called Veronica, wasn't she?"

Angela nodded, tears forming in her eyes.

Sombra lowered her head. "I'm sorry. They were going to kill her either way. They just saw an opportunity to get to you and took it. No matter what you did, she was dead. That's why she told you not to give in to them. She knew that and was trying to help you."

Angela couldn't believe it. "No. No I could have... I should have..."

Fareeha held her hand forward. "Please Ang, you're better than them. Don't let them win in the end. Don't lose yourself because of what they did."

Angela looked between Fareeha and the Talon trooper. Her want to kill had gone. All of her anger was gone, replaced with sadness. She began to tear up, giving the pistol to Fareeha, before falling into her arms, letting out all her built up emotion. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Faree."

"Shh. It's okay. I've got you now, you're safe." Fareeha simply stood with Angela in her arms, letting the medic cuddle into her as she let out a weeks worth of tears. Sombra immediately aimed her weapon at the trooper, letting Fareeha take care of Angela.

"I'm taking her out of this room." Fareeha said to Sombra, who simply raised a thumb with her free hand. Once the two were gone, Sombra grabbed the trooper by the neck and forced him to his feet.

"What were you making her do? TELL ME!"

The trooper flinched in fear, trying to avoid a painful death. "She was building that." He pointed over to a partially built staff, similar to the one Mercy used in battle. "Once that was done, she was going to be told to work on her nano tech."

"Why? The staff I get, but why the nano tech? Only Mercy can control it."

"Moira wanted her to build it so she could master her abilities."

Sombra dropped the trooper, practically throwing him to the floor. She aimed at him and the trooper began to plead for his life.

"WAIT! Please don't do it!"

"Yeah right, like I'm going to listen to you. Mercy was right, you didn't need to kill that girl... and I know you were the one who pulled that trigger." Sombra knelt down in front of the trooper, her SMG still aimed at the side of his head.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, because that brings her back, doesn't it? Mercy could never pull that trigger. She's so much stronger than you... and me, it seems."

Sombra pulled the trigger, killing yet another Talon member. She didn't know how many she'd killed today but she didn't care. She had what she needed from them and wanted nothing more to do with this group. Just before she left the room, Sombra turned and looked at the half constructed staff, aiming her weapon and unloading the remainder of her magazine. For good measure, she walked over and smashed it, making sure it was beyond repair. Only Mercy knew how to make it, so with this, Talon's project died.

Meanwhile, outside the room, Angela was still hugging Fareeha, never letting go once. Eventually, Angela began to withdraw, finally feeling strong enough. She stopped part way as her eyes met Fareeha's, keeping her arms wrapped around Fareeha. Last time they were this close, they both kissed. Right now, it didn't feel right and both knew it. Instead, Angela gave Fareeha a small kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you for stopping me faree."

"You're welcome."

The two woman smiled at each other, the first real one since they'd arrived here. After a few moments, Sombra emerged from the room, not commenting on the proximity between the two women.

"Come on. We need to get out of here."

Sombra lead the way towards the main entrance, which should of been breached by the other prisoners by now. The Talon comms were silent, so Sombra assumed everyone else was dead.

A short distance away, Angela and Fareeha were following Sombra, making sure to keep an eye out for any remaining troopers.

"Why is Sombra helping us?" Angela asked quietly.

"Honestly, she didn't tell me. She said she'd explain it later... so I guess once we're out she'll tell us."

The rest of the walk through the base was silent, everyone focused on the situation at hand. Sure enough, the base was abandoned, every last Talon member gunned down by the escaping prisoners. Once they reached the main door, they ran away from the base, only stopping once Sombra was satisfied they were far enough away.

It was dark, clearly the middle of the night. "What time is it?" Angela asked, breathing her first breath of fresh air in what felt like a month.

Sombra opened up her computer screen. "4:47."

Fareeha was next to ask a question. "Remember when you said you'd explain later why you were helping us?"

Sombra took a deep breath. She wanted a bit longer to compose her argument, needing to persuade the Overwatch medic to help. "I guess I do owe you that. There were a few reasons. One was because it was the right thing to do. I didn't want to be part of Talon anymore. I've seen everything they've ever done and honestly, I didn't agree with it. I got what I needed from them, so I got out. I wasn't going to leave you two to become monsters."

This surprised both Angela and Fareeha. Not much was known about Sombra but neither expected that. They did suspect that there was more behind her motives and that she wanted something else.

"What's the other reason?" Angela asked.

"I need your help."

"Oh really? Why would we consider helping you?" Fareeha replied, not convinced Sombra's intentions were good.

"I need Angela's medical knowledge." This gained their attention.

"Why?" Angela asked, seeing that Sombra was a bit uncomfortable. Whatever it was must of been very important to her, important enough to risk everything in order to get her out.

Sombra didn't reply for a few moments, breathing in before she finally answered. "It's Widow... her conditioning is breaking down..."

"You mean..?"

"She's remembering who she was. Amelie is coming back. I don't understand everything that's happening. I only know what Talon knows and even then, I think some of it's wrong. She needs help. She needs you. Please, I'm not asking for me. I'm asking for her."

Angela thought for a moment. She knew Amelie before she became Widowmaker. She always wondered if Amelie was still in there. Sombra was being way to sincere to be lying and it almost sounded like she was begging. Amelie needed her.

"Okay. I'll help."

"Thank you." Sombra looked at her screen again, pointing behind her. "We need to go this way, come on."

"Why don't we just call in Overwatch? Tell them to come pick us up?" Fareeha asked as they all walked in the direction Sombra pointed.

"They won't trust me and therefore won't listen to me. They'll suspect that I can fake your voices... in all honesty I probably could. Since I just wrecked a Talon facility, I need to stay hidden for a while, make Talon think something else happened. Talon will be on the lookout for any sign of you two as well, so if you stay hidden, it'll buy us all some time."

"But our friends are looking for us. We're putting them in unnecessary danger." Angela said, knowing that Lena, among other people, would be extremely worried about her and Fareeha.

Sombra sighed. Mercy did have a point, Overwatch wouldn't stop until they'd found them. "I'll drop a hint or two their way when I can, I promise. Right now, we need to get ourselves away from here."

Under the cover of night, the three women ran, as fast as they could to escape the clutches of Talon. Sombra knew her life was about to change forever. She just hoped that she'd made the right choice. She also hoped that Widow was okay.

As they made their escape, Fareeha spoke to Angela, keeping her voice down so Sombra didn't hear her.

"Ang, are you sure we can trust her?"

"I think we can. I've seen her in battle. She's usually confident and cocky. Right now, she's completely different. It's almost like she's scared. I knew Amelie before she became Widowmaker. If there's even a chance she could be brought back..."

"I understand Ang. I'm with you, no matter what."

Angela smiled. "Thank you Faree."

Talon dropship- United States- One hour later

Reaper's dropship was coming in to land at one of Talon's main bases. The location was very well hidden, once again being mostly underground. After checking that the area was clear, the pilot began the descent into the base, the ground opened up, revealing the underground facility. Most people didn't even know where this base was, better for security that way. The most people saw was a desert, meaning they were somewhere in the western United States.

Once they had landed, the doors closed and the base was once again hidden. The dropship doors opened and Reaper stepped out, holding Symmetra's arms, which were bound behind her back. Doomfist was waiting in the hanger, his arms folded behind his back.

"Didn't expect to see you here." Reaper said, handing Symmetra over to a waiting Talon trooper.

"Plans are moving forward Reyes. Soon, we will show the world what we're capable of."

"I assume there's another reason you wanted to see me for though?" Reaper knew this had to be important if Doomfist had waited here to speak to him.

"We have a situation. You remember Moira's plan?"

"To capture Mercy and turn her to our side? How could I forget?"

"The facility that has her captive has fallen silent and Moira doesn't know why."

"So why are you telling me this? Send some troops over to find out."

"I'm telling you because we've also lost contact with Sombra and Widowmaker."

That got Reaper's attention. He didn't really care what happened to Mercy, he wanted all of Overwatch dead. However, there was no way she could of taken down Sombra and Widow. Something else was going on.

"You want me to go find out what happened, I'm guessing?"

"You know Sombra and Widow and how Overwatch operate. You'll stand a better chance of working out what happened."

Reaper didn't grumble, now more interested in finding out the truth. "Where is Moira's lab of wonders anyway?"

"Italy. A fast ship is being prepared as we speak."

"Great, another trip across the ocean." Reaper thought to himself. "Any other important people at this base I should know about?" He asked Doomfist.

"Mercy was the only important prisoner there. There were only Moira's other prisoners and no one else was transported there since Mercy's capture."

Reaper had the uneasy feeling that Doomfist was withholding something. He didn't know why he thought this but he never bothered asking, simply walking off towards the faster ship.

Once on board, the bases main doors opened and the ship took off, moving off quickly towards Italy. A few minutes into the journey, Moira contacted Reaper.

"Reyes. I assume Doomfist filled you in."

"He did."

"Excellent. I'm sending over the access codes. It'll give you access to the entire facility."

"Thanks. Random question, did you capture anyone else when you got Mercy? I'm trying to work out what happened and I'm wondering..." Reaper asked out of curiosity. Moira might reveal more than Doomfist and every little piece of intel helped.

"Good try, but I only got Mercy. There wasn't anyone else who could have helped her. No one who was a prisoner anyway."

"You think we've been betrayed?"

"It makes the most sense. It's only a hypothesis though, you'll either confirm or deny it. Moira out."

As soon as Moira had gone, Reaper attempted to contact Sombra, only to get no reply. He did the same for Widow, with the exact same outcome.

"Why won't you pick up? What's going on over there Sombra?"

Meanwhile, back at the base, Doomfist was preparing for a mission of his own. He was checking over the troopers as they gathered their equipment as well as looking over the ships being prepared for the mission. Once he was satisfied, he began to head back towards the command centre, where his gauntlet currently was. Before he could reach the command centre, his phone rang.

"Hello."

"You didn't tell Reyes did you?" Moira asked, just finished with her conversation with Reaper.

"No, I did not. I don't honestly see how it could be that big an issue." Doomfist now reached the command centre, standing outside the door and staying out of the way.

"Akande, I knew Reyes before he joined Talon and he knew Fareeha when she was younger. I don't know how he would react if he found out we were torturing her as well as Angela."

"Maybe he wouldn't react at all."

"Or maybe we'd have a pissed off Reaper to deal with. I'd rather play it safe than sorry."

Doomfist sighed. "Very well. Though if this comes back to haunt us, you're calming him down."

"That's fair. I'll be over once I'm done here."

Once Moira hung up, Akande stepped inside the command centre, the troopers inside saluting as he found his gauntlet. Once he was wearing it, he made his way towards another part of the base, where he'd explain the plan to the rest of Talon.


	10. Revelations

**Revelations**

Credenhill- United Kingdom

Captain Jameson was looking over a holographic table, along with Buck and a small group of SAS troopers. They were currently going through all the recent intelligence that had been collected regarding Talon.

"So." Buck began, placing his fingers on the table and expanding an image of the Vishkar tower. "We find a cargo ship being used by Talon that's registered to Vishkar. Next thing we know, their main headquarters gets attacked. Big coincidence if you ask me."

"Talon obviously has links to Vishkar, this attack was aimed to make us think otherwise." Jameson stated, gaining nods from the other soldiers. "The problem is that we lack any concrete evidence. We need hard proof."

"Well, MI6 and the CIA looked into the destination of the cargo ship. It was heading towards Boston. Some time after the attack in Egypt, a criminal gang was completely wiped out and a man found tied to a chair in front of a camera. When they looked into who he was, it turned out he was Talon." Buck explained, bringing the pictures provided into view on the screen.

"That's interesting. Any idea who took out the gang?" Another trooper asked.

"Intel's a bit sketchy, though a CCTV camera managed to capture this..."

Buck brought up a picture from a camera. It was slightly blurred due to the darkness, however the group could make out a glowing red visor.

"The one man army himself. Soldier 76." Jameson commented. "Doesn't take a genius to work out what happened. Do we have anything from the Vishkar headquarters?"

"A few things." Buck began, bringing up a file that had been passed on from India. "Everyone in the building at the time was gunned down, apart from two people. One, Sanjay Korpol, was thrown out the window from the top floor. The other, Satya Vaswani, is missing. So far she's the only possible survivor." Their pictures appeared shortly afterwards, taking priority over all the others.

"Have the Americans found anything else regarding Boston?" Jameson asked, beginning to form a connection in his head.

"They're still looking into it, currently trying to work out where the cargo was going once it reached Boston."

"I believe we have two leads to follow then. The cargo ship heading to Boston must of been transporting to a Talon facility hidden somewhere in the States. That needs to be found ASAP, hopefully the Americans find something. Also, I believe Miss Vaswani has been taken by Talon. Maybe she's working with them, maybe not. Either way, find her and I believe we will find our hard evidence."

Overwatch dropship- Near the Italy- Switzerland border

Ana stood looking out of the open doors, her rifle in hand as she scanned the environment. She looked through her scope, searching for any sign of a Talon base. Morrison was walking between the controls and the door, helping Ana while making sure the autopilot kept them on course.

As Morrison walked back towards the doors, Ana cursed to herself. "Where is that base?"

"We'll find it Ana."

"I'm so close Jack. I need to find her..." Ana trailed off, looking up towards Morrison and seeing him wearing his Tactical Visor. He was clearly using it to scan the environment. She just hoped it helped.

Morrison put a reassuring hand on Ana's shoulder. "We will find her. I promise you. There's three dropships looking for this place, with Athena operating each one. One of us will find that base."

Ana breathed out heavily. "What if we're too late..."

"Don't think like that."

"But what if we are Jack? I'd never be able to take that shot. What if she's gone..." Ana couldn't help but think of the worst case scenario. Amelie was once her friend and she hesitated to fire then. If her own daughter was now a tool for Talon, it would break her heart and likely kill her in the process.

"Then we get her back. Whatever it takes. I made you a promise. I won't break it."

Ana lowered her rifle and moved over to Morrison. He was too busy searching to notice her do this, so he was slightly surprised when Ana hugged him. He moved one arm, hugging her back.

"Thank you Jack."

Morrison didn't respond. At first Ana thought he was too busy concentrating however, this thought was quickly dismissed when he next spoke up.

"Ana, give me your rifle." His visor had found something, a target symbol appearing to signify where to look. Ana gave him the sniper and he took off his visor, looking through the scope at the exact same location.

"What is it?" Ana asked, hoping that he'd seen something. At this point she would take anything, no matter how small.

"Smoke. There's a small amount of smoke rising up from the floor. Athena, send the ship in that direction." Morrison lowered the rifle, handing it back to Ana as he pointed towards the location.

The ship turned, Athena able to see where Morrison was directing her thanks to an onboard camera. Once it flew over the area, they saw a small metal structure that they guessed was some sort of base. It was very well hidden, blending in to its surroundings. It was only noticeable thanks to the small amount of smoke coming out of one of the vents.

"Nice find." Ana stated, patting Morrison on the back.

"I only saw it due to the smoke and that can't be a good sign... Athena drop us off, then find a place to land." Jack said as he put his visor back on and moved over to pick up his rifle.

The dropship lowered to the ground, letting Morrison and Ana jump off. Once they were on the ground, the ships doors closed and it moved off to find a suitable landing zone.

Ana was filled with hope as they walked towards the facility. This hope quickly vanished once they reached the main entrance. Bodies were lying around all over the area and the facility's doors had been ripped off. There was more smoke coming from several vents and part of the ground was open, revealing that there was a metal door below their feet.

The two soldiers stopped once they reached the door, Morrison checking a couple of the bodies for any life signs. "They've been dead a while, gunshots by the looks of it. Though some of them look like they were beaten to death first."

Ana couldn't believe it. The base was wrecked and it seemed like everyone related to Talon had been killed. "What happened here?" The reply didn't come from who she expected.

"I've been working that out for at least an hour now."

The two soldiers spun around, aiming their weapons at Reaper, who was standing with his arms folded. They both noted that Reaper hadn't fired at them yet. He hadn't even pulled out a weapon.

"Reyes."

"Boy Scout."

Morrison and Reyes stared down each other, neither able to make out the others face due to their masks. After a few uncomfortable moments, Morrison broke the silence.

"Since you haven't tried to kill us, I assume you want something."

Reaper didn't move, considering his next move. He was still very suspicious that Doomfist and Moira hadn't told him something. His suspicions only increased when he found out about a second VIP prisoner. His curiosity had taken over and he was resisting the urge to kill his former friends. Eventually, he spoke, deciding what to do.

"You're searching for Mercy I'm guessing?" He asked.

"Her and someone else." Morrison replied, keeping his rifle aimed at Reaper. Something wasn't right, Reyes would have normally fired at the sight of them. "I'll spare you the details, since you already know."

"Someone else? Who else is that important that you two came to rescue them?"

"Don't you dare Reyes." Reaper turned his head to face Ana, who glared at him with nothing but anger. "Don't you dare dismiss her as unimportant."

"Dismiss her? Who on earth are you talking about? Mercy was the only Overwatch agent taken."

Morrison began to lower his weapon, realising that Reyes wasn't lying for once. "You really don't know, do you?"

"Apparently not."

"When Talon took Angela, they took another person as well. They took Fareeha."

Reaper turned away from the other two, deeply troubled by this new information. "So, that's what they weren't telling me..." He knew her as a child, since she was always around the base when Ana was in.

"Why does this bother you?" Ana asked, not fully convinced Reyes didn't actually know. "You hate all of us, why do you care who ends up hurt?"

"I told them not to harm her."

"Yeah right. Like you care about her." Ana's sarcastic reply caused Reaper to turn around and walk over to her. He slowly reached up and removed his mask, showing her his face.

"I'm being serious. Talon wanted to take her a long time ago because they knew it would get to Overwatch. I very clearly told them no. When you returned from the dead, Moira suggested taking her again and, once again, I said no."

Ana stared into the eyes of her fallen friend. She could see that he was telling the truth. "Why? Why did you protect her?"

Reaper placed his mask back on but remained exactly where he was. "She wasn't a threat. She wasn't part of Overwatch and Talon didn't need her."

Ana and Morrison both suspected that there was another reason but they both knew Reyes wouldn't tell them. Morrison decided to move on, still focused on finding Angela and Fareeha.

"Where are they Reyes?"

Reaper now walked away from Ana, once again turning his back to the other two soldiers. "I don't know. I came to work out what happened here."

"So what happened?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

Reaper considered his reply carefully. He didn't know if Jack and Ana could be trusted. "Someone betrayed Talon, some hero wannabe. They broke out all the prisoners..."

"For gods sake." Morrison grumbled, clearly annoyed by what he knew was a lie. "Reyes, for one in your life, TELL ME THE TRUTH! What is going on?"

"FINE!" Reyes shouted in return, twisting his body to face Morrison. He knew he needed help in this situation. Besides, the truth would come out sooner or later, he might as well be the one who told them. He just hoped that they could be trusted. "It's Amelie."

Ana now took over, speaking up before Morrison could. "What about her?"

"It's her conditioning... it's breaking down."

"Wait." Morrison interrupted. "You mean... she's remembering?"

Reyes nodded. "Sombra got her out and then she got Angela and Fareeha out. I don't know what she's planning now."

The three of them stood in silence for a few moments. This changed everything. Widowmaker was one of Talon's best agents. If she had gone rogue...

Morrison had one more question on his mind. This man wasn't the Reyes he now knew as Reaper. "Why do you care? You hate everyone, why didn't you just kill her or have her reconditioned?"

Reaper now fully turned himself to face Morrison, walking forward slightly as he pointed straight at him. "You don't know me, stop pretending you do!"

"I thought I knew you! Then you tried to kill me years ago and now want to kill everyone who has anything to do with Overwatch! Why do you think I'm so doubtful of your true intentions?"

"ENOUGH!" Morrison and Reyes immediatly stopped, turning their heads to face Ana. Neither one spoke, waiting for Ana to make the next move. "Clearly there's more going on than each of us know. Answer the question Reyes. Why didn't you make a move to recondition her?"

"Because I didn't want to. I made a promise years ago... I wont break it now."

"Promise? What are you talking about?" Morrison asked, now slightly calmer thanks to Ana.

Reaper turned back around, not giving Morrison an answer. He didn't trust him, not anymore. Eventually, Morrison reached for his visor, taking it off and spoke to his old friend once more.

"Reyes, talk to me. What do you mean you made a promise?"

"You won't understand."

"Then make me understand. We can help her, all of us can. Just tell us what's going on."

Reyes breathed in heavily. Maybe they could help. He turned around to face his old friends, finally willing to tell one of his greatest secrets. "Remember the night Gerard died?"

"Unfortunalty." Morrison replied, remembering the moment he heard the news. "She killed him in his sleep."

"Well, not exactly. I may have left out a few of the details."

Switzerland- Seven years ago

Ever since Amelie had been rescued from Talon, Angela had been insistent she remained at the Swiss headquarters, so that she could check her over for any lasting damage. Gerard on the other hand was equally insistent that she returned home with him, so that she could return to some sort of normality. In the end, they compromised. Gerard and Amelie would stay at his house near the base and Amelie would go in and see Angela every day until she was satisfied.

Reyes was walking up the road towards Gerard's house, wanting to check up on Amelie's progress. He was part of the operation to get her back, so he saw first hand how hard Gerard had worked to find her. Despite getting her back, something still bothered Reyes. When they found her, she didn't seem any worse for wear. On top of that, he felt like the entire effort to get her back was a little too easy, almost like Talon didn't fully try to keep her.

Reyes places these thoughts aside, as he arrived at Gerard's house. It was a small home, one that he used when he was visiting the headquarters and only when he had to. He much preferred living with Amelie in France and only stayed over when he had business that lasted more than a day.

As he walked up and went to ring the doorbell, he noticed that the door was slightly open... and there was a small amount of blood smeared on it.

Reyes immediatly pulled out a weapon, slowly opening the door and scanning the immediate area, checking the corners as he moved through the building.

"Gerard? Amelie? You in?" No answer. They hadn't left yet since the car was still parked outside. Reyes checked the entire lower floor and found nothing out of the ordinary. He slowly moved up the stairs, keeping his weapon held up as he continued to check every corner. Once he checked everywhere else, he reached the main bedroom. As he opened the door, he almost dropped his weapon at what he saw.

"Oh no."

It was Gerard, lying on the bed, surrounded by a pool of blood. His blood. Reyes ran in, throwing his weapon away and checked for a pulse. There wasn't one. Gerard was gone. He analysed the body, seeing one large stab wound. It was obvious what had happened. He hated it when he was right.

Reyes stood up, finding his phone and contacted Jack.

"Morrison here."

"Jack... I need a medical team at Gerard's house."

"What? Why?"

"Gerard's dead."

"Oh god. What about Amelie?"

"Missing. He was stabbed, looks like while he was sleeping... I think we both know what that means."

Morrison let out a very audible breath. "Okay. I'll have a team there soon." Nothing more was said, Reyes ending the call as he looked over Gerard's body. He eventually noticed a tablet in his hand, some blood on the screen. Reyes moved over and picked it up, wiping away the small amount of blood and unlocked it.

He was surprised to find two new documents, last edited a few hours ago. One was a letter... to Amelie. The other was a voice recording addressed to him. Reluctantly, he pressed and it began to play.

" _Reyes. I guess you'll have worked out what happened. I need you to do something for me, a dying mans wish if you will."_ Gerard chuckled slightly, coughing shortly afterwards.

 _"This is a bad injury and I know I'm not going to make it. Amelie wasn't herself. It was like she was possessed, being told what to do. It had to be Talon, they got to her... I need you to find her and save her... You're the only one that will be willing to do what it takes to get her back... Once you do, make sure she knows this wasn't her fault... Give her the letter that's on this tablet once the time is right.."_

Gerard coughed once again, the stab wound clearly overcoming him.

 _"Please Reyes. Get her back... Help her..."_

The recording ended. Reyes began to theorise what had happened. Gerard must of woken up just before Amelie tried to kill him. He obviously couldn't stop her and she escaped. He used his final moments to leave this message and write that note to Amelie.

Reyes took the tablet, hiding it inside his jacket. "I'll get her back. I promise you Gerard."

Present day

Morrison and Ana stood silently, both slightly taken back by this revelation. "After all this time, you're still trying to help her?" Jack asked, not raising his voice.

"I tried to find her before but there wasn't any intel to go off. There was the odd thing here and there but nothing concrete." Reyes explained, also not raising his voice. "In the end, I thought Talon killed her, I couldn't find any sign of her. It wasn't until I joined Talon that I found out she was still alive."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Ana asked.

"I didn't know who I could trust. I suspected that someone was working on the inside against us, so I kept it to myself."

"So all this time, you've been working to get her out?"

"I looked over her files and suspected that the conditioning would break down at some point. I had hoped to fake her death when that time came. Seems Sombra had a different idea."

"So... what now?" Morrison asked.

Reaper thought for a moment. "I hate to admit it... but I think Overwatch are in the best position to help Amelie."

"I'll do what I can." Morrison meant it. He knew Gerard and Amelie, as did Ana. They were not about to let this opportunity escape.

"No! You'll make sure they're safe, both Amelie and Sombra. If either one of them is hurt, I'll make sure you die, slowly and painfully."

"Is it me, or do you actually care about them?"

Reaper ignored the question. "This doesn't change anything between us. We're not friends. Not anymore."

With that Reaper departed, turning into a cloud of black smoke and flying off into the forest. Just as he did this, another Overwatch ship flew over the area. As the ship descended, the doors opened and Tracer jumped out, using her blink to slow her fall. Once she was on the ground, she ran over to Morrison and Ana, slowing down once she saw their faces.

"Where are they?" She asked, her eyes filled with worry.

"We don't know. All we know is that they aren't here." Morrison answered, as DVa flew over in her Meka to join Tracer. The rest waited for the dropship to land before walking over.

A part of Lena was glad that it wasn't the worst. Yet she wanted to find them today. This only meant they were missing for longer. "How do you know that?"

"Inside source."

Tracer raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced as the rest of her team now joined the group, all of them surprised by the damage to the base and the dead soldiers.

"What happened here?" McCree asked, once he'd joined up with the rest of the team.

Morrison didn't reply to the question. "Tracer, take you're team and check the surrounding area. Watch out, Talon may still be around. Me and Ana will search the base to see if we can find any intel."

The two teams separated, Morrison and Ana walking inside the destroyed base, while Lena and her team checked the surrounding area. The two were only a short distance inside when Ana broke the silence.

"Do you think Reyes was telling the truth?"

"For once, I think he was. It doesn't look like anyone's here. As for Amelie..."

"What do we do?" Morrison turned to Ana, both of them stopping near the destroyed command centre door as he considered their options. Thing was, it wasn't an easy decision to make. This was something he didn't understand.

"You knew Gerard the best. It's your call."

Ana thought for a while, signaling to the door to tell Morrison to keep going. It was only after he forced the door open and started to use the main console inside when she spoke again.

"I think I caused this."

Morrison turned his head towards her. "What do you mean?"

"Back in King's Row, I landed a heavy hit on her head. She stumbled and crawled away to cover... I told her that Gerard was a fool to love her... and she responded with emotion. Pure, human emotion."

"Then my next question is extremely important. Do you think she's still in there?"

Ana thought for a few seconds. "After what I saw and what Reyes said... I'm certain she is. If her conditioning has snapped then she's going to be desperate."

"Then we need to find her. If Reyes was telling the truth about Sombra, then I believe that when we find Amelie, we find Fareeha and Angela. Keep this between ourselves for now. I don't know how everyone else will react, or if they'll even listen."

Ana knew what Morrison meant. There was a lot of bad blood between Widowmaker and Overwatch. Tracer saw her assasinate Mondatta. Reinhardt thought she killed one of his best friends. McCree would likely shoot at the first sight of her and Torb wouldn't likely trust her. He needed to find a way to make them all listen and give her a chance.

Switzerland

A small Swiss town near the boarder of Italy was just waking up. No one was walking around the streets, except for the odd person here and there. It was a Sunday, so most people were resting.

Sombra was slowly making her way though the quiet town, Angela and Fareeha following close by. They weren't sure where exactly they were, only that they were somewhere in Switzerland, not far away from the boarder. Sombra was periodically checking the area around them, making sure no one saw them, since Angela and Fareeha hadn't had chance to clean up. That was a bunch of problems she preferred to avoid. Eventually, Sombra noticed a small hotel, which stated that they had rooms available.

"Perfect. Come on."

Sombra checked for any citizens, waving the other two women forward once she was certain it was clear. The three of them ran inside the hotel, which was fortunately empty, apart from one woman who was manning the front desk.

"Can I help you three?" She asked, as Sombra walked up to the desk. Sombra knew she'd seen Angela and Fareeha, so she'd have to persuade her to forget what she'd seen.

"Hey. I need three rooms."

"Are they okay?" The concierge asked, pointing towards Angela and Fareeha, seeing that their clothes were shredded and they were covered in dried blood and dirt.

"Yeah they are." Sombra needed to think quick. Unfortunatly, she didn't have much left. Her brain was barely working and she needed some sleep. "Look, we're on the run from Talon. We need somewhere to lay low, a day or two max, then we'll be gone."

The concierge looked between the three women. "Why don't you..."

"We can't go to the authorities. Look, if you help us out, you'll be well compensated." Sombra began to type on her computer, clicking a few purple buttons before a phone went off. The woman in front of her looked at a message, seeing her bank app reporting a deposit of 2000 euros. This was all the persuasion she needed.

"I'm afraid we only have two rooms left. A single and a double."

"That'll work."

"I need a name for the guestbook."

"It's som..." Sombra stopped herself before she made that mistake, shaking her head and rubbing her eyes. She really needed some sleep. "Sophie. Sophie Smith."

Once she had payed, she collected the two room keys and signalled Angela and Fareeha to follow her. They were on the second floor, the two rooms practically opposite each other. Once they reached the rooms, Sombra gave Angela the key to the double, keeping the single for herself.

"I'll drop by later when I've figure out our next move. Right now, I need to rest."

"Are you alright?" Angela asked.

"Yeah. I'm just exhausted. Get yourselves cleaned up and get some rest. I'll bring you some clean clothes later."

"Okay... and Sombra, thank you."

Sombra gave a weak smile, before she opened the door to her room and walked inside. Once she was alone, she instantly activated her computer and set herself an alarm for five hours later. There was an alarm clock in the room but Sombra never trusted them to wake her up. With the alarm set, Sombra stripped out of her clothes, leaving only her underwear on and climbed into the bed. It only took a few seconds for her to fall asleep, the events of the past day taking away all her energy.

Meanwhile, in the other room, Angela and Fareeha were not as quick to fall asleep. They both needed to wash, wanting to finally get rid of the dirt and blood still on them. They weren't even sure where they were or how long they'd been captive, only that they were free now.

As Angela opened the door to the bathroom, she saw everything they needed, a sink and a medium sized shower, along with some shampoo and a bottle of shower gel.

"We're in luck. There actually is a shower." She joked, gaining a small chuckle from Fareeha.

"Well this place already has a better rating than the last one." Fareeha returned. "You can get the first shower."

Angela didn't take a shower just yet though. She had something on her mind, something that she needed to know. "Fareeha, can we talk a moment?"

"Um, sure. What's up?"

Angela sat down on the bed, Fareeha sitting next to her. They just sat for a few seconds, before Angela plucked up the courage to ask.

"Back at that base, just before we were separated, you were going to tell me something. What was it?"

Fareeha began to blush, looking down and avoiding eye contact. Despite her being a trained soldier, she was never good with emotions.

"Oh, it was just a spur of the moment thing. Nothing to worry about."

"Faree please, I need to know. What were you going to say?"

"It wasn't important. Seriously, it was nothing." Fareeha went to stand up, only for Angela to stop her.

Angela took ahold of Fareeha's hands, not letting her escape. "Faree, we've been friends for years. You can tell me anything. I know it was important because you thought you'd never be able to tell me again. Please, Just tell me."

Angela gave her a smile, one that Fareeha was never able to say no to. She took a deep breath. This was it, she had to tell her how she felt. She looked up straight into her eyes, hoping that the words came to her.

"Okay. I never wanted to tell you this way. I always wanted to plan it out first."

She took another breath.

"Ang, you've been there for me for years now. When I thought my mother died, when she returned and whenever I needed help. You're my best friend and it's taken me so long to realise how I truly felt about you. It was only after we were captured that I realised I needed to tell you. So here it is. Angela... I love you."

Fareeha couldn't believe she'd just said that. Angela didn't give anything away, the words taking a few moments to sink in. Fareeha meanwhile started to talk again, not sure what Angela was currently thinking.

"I don't know how you feel about me and I understand if there's someone..."

She was silenced as Angela placed a hand on her cheek, never once breaking eye contact. She only said four words. Four words that changed everything.

"I love you too."

The two women leaned in and closed their eyes as their lips met. Fareeha was in disbelief for a few moments, pinching herself to check if this was actually happening. When she realised it was, she placed her hand on Angela's cheek, losing herself in the deep kiss.

After what felt like an eternity, the two slowly pulled away, their heads still touching and their eyes never leaving the others. This moment was perfect, just the two of them.

"Lena's going to love this." Angela joked, causing Fareeha to raise an eyebrow and lean back.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, remember when I said she kept suggesting someone for me?"

"Yeah. Wait. She was suggesting me?"

"Yep. Guess she saw something we didn't." The two simply smiled at each other, before Angela gained a mischievous grin. "Let's see how long we can keep this a secret from her, shall we?"

"Okay, let's see. I wonder how mum will react..."

"I'm sure she'll be happy for you. She always wanted you to meet someone."

"I think she always suspected something. She kept nudging me about it... Anyway, go get a shower, get cleaned up."

Angela stood and walked towards the bathroom. Just as she reached the door, she turned back around, leaning seductively against the doorframe.

"Well I could grab a shower, but what sort of a doctor am I if I don't even check you over for any injuries. Maybe you could check me over as well." Angela winked at Fareeha, slightly surprised she actually said that. She must of picked up something after hearing Lena flirt with Emily.

Fareeha meanwhile smiled, standing up and walking over, stopping just in front of Angela. She understood exactly what Angela meant. "Oh. I might have to take you up on that offer, Doctor Ziegler."

"Then step into my office."

The two kissed once again as Angela lead Fareeha to the shower. They immediately stripped out of their dirty clothing and stepped inside, letting the hot water wash away all the dirt, blood and bad memories. They explored each other's bodies and helped each other wash, neither one taking any steps further. Everything was perfect, just the two of them. They never wanted this to end.

It was thirty minutes later when they emerged from the bathroom. They dried each other off, planting kisses on the other before they climbed into bed. The two lovers cuddled each other, Angela wrapping an arm across Fareeha.

"I love you Faree."

"I love you too Ang."

Five hours later

Sombra was woken up by the alarm on her computer. It wasn't like any normal alarm. This one could only be heard by her, the sound being projected into her head. As she opened her eyes and sat up, she began to take note of the room around her. It wasn't the most impressive hotel room available, a single chair and a desk, as well as a small tv. It was enough for the brief time Sombra wanted to stay here.

She eventually stood up, taking off what was left of her clothing and stepped inside the bathroom, turning on the shower. People were often surprised that she could still shower, all the tech built into her made anyone else think she couldn't. Sombra had made sure that all her cybernetics were waterproof, refusing to spend ages washing in a morning or never being able to swim again.

As she stood in the shower, the water running down her body, she ran her hands through her hair, it sticking to her body as the water soaked it. For Sombra, this felt like a weeks worth of stress was being washed away.

This also gave her an opportunity to stop and think. They had escaped the base but Talon would soon be looking for them. It was very possible they already knew of Sombra's betrayal, so getting to her 'safe house' was now her top priority. Annoyingly, she hadn't been able to create fake documents for Angela and Fareeha, time simply not on her side. Fortunately, she had another way to get all of them there quickly.

She also thought over what Pharah had suggested after they'd escaped, contacting Overwatch. In all honesty, she suspected that Overwatch would get involved in the end. However, she also knew she was right about not contacting them now. Widow was on edge when she left and would likely be more on edge now that she was alone. Bringing in Overwatch now could send her over the tipping point. For now, she needed to be somewhere safe and out of the way, somewhere which could keep her occupied while her conditioning unraveled.

Now her thoughts turned to Widow, wondering how she was doing. Sombra was worried about her, making her run off alone wasn't the way she wanted to get her out. However, there weren't many other options available, especially with how bad her visions were getting.

Sombra opened her computer, something she was able to do while showering thanks to her waterproof cybernetics and searched the web for any trace of Widow being arrested. She let out a large sigh of relief when she found nothing.

Sombra reached for the shower controls and turned the water off, letting the final droplets fall from her. She reached for a towel as she stepped out, wrapping it around her body and drying herself off before stepping in front of the mirror. She reached for the hairdryer, wiping away the condensation and began to dry her hair, trying as best as she could to make it look similar to her normal look.

Once she was satisfied with how her hair looked, Sombra stepped out of the bathroom and got herself dressed, finding her clothes that had been discarded earlier on the nearby chair. With her clothes now on, Sombra opened her computer, contacting one of the many people who owed her a favour. Unfortunatly for them, it wasn't one they wanted to owe.

"Katya Volskaya!" Sombra announced, not getting any response from the woman on the other end of the call. "How are you?"

"What do you want?" Katya grumbled, clearly less than pleased to hear Sombra's voice.

"You need to work on your people skills. I need a ride, in particular a private jet. I know you have one, a very nice one actually, so send it over to the location I'm sending you. I need it in four hours maximum."

Katya didn't answer for a short while, reading the details Sombra just sent her. "Fine, it'll be there within the next few hours."

"Thanks. I'll keep an eye on it." With that, Sombra hung up, not wanting to waste any time. Now she made a list in her head of all the other things she needed to do. Firstly, she needed to get Mercy and Pharah some new clothes, their old ones just too bloody and torn to be used. She also noted to get some food for them and a bit of makeup to cover any injuries they might have. Well, any injuries Pharah might have.

Before all that, Sombra found another contact in her computer. She began the call, blocking her location from anyone who may try to track it and disguising the number as another.

"What?" It was Reaper, clearly annoyed with somebody.

"Sorry, I must have the wrong number." Sombra didn't hang up, the lack of a reply meant Reaper was moving somewhere safer. A few moments later, he spoke.

"What the hell are you playing at? This isn't a game, Sombra. Talon know you betrayed them!"

"Why Gabe? Why did you want her to trust me?" This was an honest question. She still didn't know his motives, even now. She wanted to know if Reaper was a threat or a friend.

"Suppose it doesn't matter now. I wanted to get her out. I needed you because she'd never trust me, I'm far too high up in Talon. I was planning on doing it quietly though, not destroy an entire base in the process!"

"I didn't have any other choice!"

"Fareeha amari. Where is she?" This sudden change in question took Sombra by surprise. Why did he ask that of all things?

"With me. As is Mercy. Why?"

"So, Morrison was telling the truth... Talon's keeping things from me... I think something else is going on. Is Amelie safe?"

"Yes, though I'm not telling you where she is."

"Good, it's better I don't know. One more thing, I assume you still have a back door into Talon's systems?"

"You know me too well Gabe."

"Look for a file in my private folder..."

"The folder you told me not to even look at?" Sombra asked, opening the back door and finding Reaper's private files.

Sombra never dared to look in this folder. Despite everyone knowing almost everything about Reaper, there was one folder which no one opened. The last trooper which did ended up shot in broad daylight, in front of a lot of unsuspecting troopers.

"Yes, That folder. Find a file called 'Blackwatch: operation Retribution.' It will be heavily encrypted and so unreadable."

Sombra found the file instantly, opening it and seeing how heavily encrypted the data was. Not difficult for her. In fact, it was almost like it was encrypted with her in mind.

"Got it. Retribution? that was Venice right?"

"Yes, though the file has nothing to do with it. The name's that to stop people looking at it. Decrypt it and then, when the time is right, give it to Amelie. Reyes out."

"Wait, when will I...?" She was cut off before she could even finish the question.

She copied the file, letting her computer begin its work. Whatever this file was, it must of been important. It was only after she'd left the hotel to find the things she needed when the file finished decrypting. She only scanned through the document, yet she realised immediately how important it truly was.

"Oh..."

Crete, Greece- Two hour later

The Greek island of Crete was always a popular destination for tourists. The weather was good and there was always a lot that could be seen and done on holiday. Widow was rather surprised when Sombra gave her an address here. However, what surprised her more was the house that the taxi was now pulling up in front of.

Once she arrived at the airport, Widow had flagged down a taxi and shown the driver the address. After a bit of a drive, she arrived in an area near Agia Marina, just away from the large amounts of tourists.

She expected to be dropped off in front of a smaller house, one that Sombra used when she needed to stay under the radar. However, the taxi turned and began to climb up a steep hill. Once they finally stopped, Widow was sitting in front of a villa, complete with its own private garden, pool and fenced off from the outside world.

She doubled checked the address before she payed the driver, leaving a generous tip and letting him go about his business. She rummaged through her handbag, which now containing all the information Sombra had given her and located a set of keys as well as a piece of paper with a code written on it. She guessed this was the code to the gate and she couldn't help but roll her eyes at it.

1,2,3,5. "Only Sombra." She thought, as she opened the gate and dragged her suitcase up towards the building. The villa itself was painted white and the fence had a large hedge that had been left to grow, keeping the villa private from anyone who happened to walk by.

Once inside, Widow couldn't help but look around, opening cupboards and checking every part of the house. There was a large tv and the villa itself must of cost a lot to buy. "How did Sombra get this?"

She never bothered to dwell on the question, simply deciding to ask Sombra when she next saw her. She suspected that would be soon, after all, Sombra said she needed to escape herself. Picking up her suitcase, she carried it upstairs and found the main bedroom, placing the case down and unzipping it.

The first thing that was taken out was her rifle, being placed on a counter nearby. Next was her thermal goggles and then her original outfit, being hung up in a nearby wardrobe. Widow hadn't payed much mind to anything else that had been packed inside, far to busy trying to get here in the first place. Now she could see what was inside. There were a small amount of clothes and shoes that were all her exact size, as well as some sun cream and... a blue bikini.

Widow found herself rolling her eyes again. "Oh for... Very funny Sombra."

For the next twenty minutes, Widow found herself placing clothes in the wardrobe before walking back down the stairs and heading for the kitchen. She looked inside the fridge, freezer and cupboards, quickly realising that she needed to go shopping since there was absolutely nothing in. She decided to go now, since she still had her makeup on and so wouldn't need to reapply it. One long list later and Widow was walking out of the villa, locking up and heading towards a nearby supermarket she saw on her way here.

She planned to just lay low for a while, make herself some food and then get some sleep. Hopefully Sombra would arrive soon. She knew she'd need the support while her conditioning fell apart.


	11. Mind Games

**Mind Games**

 _Encrypted message from United States CIA to United Kingdom MI6_

 _Message follows-_

 _A possible breach in the CIA has been identified during investigations. Talon movements appear to be adapting to our actions just as we make them. Recommend security sweep of your personnel in case of breaches within UK secret service._

 _Intelligence passed on from UK SAS regarding the Vishkar cargo ship indicates a Talon presence in Boston, USA. Upon further investigation, several potential targets of interest were identified within the US, all possible locations of Talon bases._

 _Intelligence suggests that there is one large Talon base operating somewhere within the United States. Following several operations, we identified a location in Nevada,_ _25 miles from Las Vegas. Further reconnaissance of the area revealed several aircraft leaving and entering the area, matching those used by Talon._

 _Further intel has been difficult to come by, due to satellite imagery being unavailable and the area going dark once a satellite was moved into position. Enemy numbers and hardware are unknown due to this._

 _Due to SAS involvement in this situation, as well as British interest in this, we suggest that the team from the cargo ship op be brought over to assist the Navy Seal team being dispatched._

 _Awaiting reply._

 _Message end._

 _Encrypted message from United Kingdom MI6 to United States CIA_

 _Message follows-_

 _Previous message acknowledged._

 _SAS team deployed to location provided in further transmissions._

 _Squad leader- Captain Jameson._

 _Message end._

Switzerland

Fareeha began to wake up, blinking a few times as her body regained its energy. She looked over to the clock and saw that several hours had passed. Her slight movements managed to wake Angela, who's arm was still wrapped around Fareeha.

Fareeha leaned up slightly, her face hovering just over Angela's. "Hey. How did you sleep?"

Angela removed her arm from Fareeha, using her hand to rub her eyes. "Really well, thanks."

"Guess this big, soft bed helped."

"It certainly helped, though I don't think it was the main reason I slept so well." Angela winked, before capturing Fareeha's lips with her own, the two sharing a couple of kisses.

Once they broke apart, Angela looked away from Fareeha, running one of her hands down her side. "Faree... I'm sorry I got you into this mess." Angela couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Fareeha was covered in cuts and bruises, all caused by Talon.

"Ang, you have nothing to be sorry about. I wanted to be there for you. Besides, I'm sure you can patch me up once you have your staff back."

"I'm sure I can, nothing too serious here." Angela replied, continuing to run her hand across Fareeha's side. "But Faree, on a serious note, thank you for being here for me. I don't think I would still be me if you weren't there by my side."

"You're welcome." The two women smiled at each other, leaning in for another quick kiss before sitting up. Just as they sat up, there was a knock at the door. Neither woman had any clothes on, yet neither wanted to change back into their dirty clothing. In the end, Angela simply shrugged and walked to the door, looking through the small eye hole and seeing that it was Sombra. She opened the door, poking her head around and keeping her nude body hidden from her

"Hey. I brought you two some clothes. I'll let you get dressed then can I come in?"

"Thanks. Of course, give us a couple of minutes."

Angela took a bag full of clothing from Sombra, who began to surf the web as she waited outside the room. The clothing was nothing special, a pair of jeans each, with a short, white shirt for Angela and long, blue one for Fareeha. They both had a new pair of socks and underwear, as well as a pair of trainers.

Once the two were dressed, Angela opened the door again and let Sombra in. She carried in a couple of bags, one giving off a smell that set the other two women's senses wild.

Sombra placed one bag down on the table, passing the other to Angela. "Here's some actual food." The bag was soon opened, revealing two very large burgers and two large portions of fries. Sombra also passed each woman a bottle of water.

"Oh thank god. Do you mind if..?" Fareeha began, Sombra answering before she could finish.

"Be my guest. Can I use your bathroom?"

The two women nodded, both sitting down on the bed. They both unwrapped a burger and took a large bite out of it. While the two ate, Sombra walked in front of the bathroom mirror and began applying some makeup. She didn't manage to bring any with her, so while she was out, she bought herself some more.

With her makeup now applied, Sombra walked back out to the two women, who were still eating their food. She didn't mind, after all they'd barely been fed while they were guests of Talon. A large meal was something they both needed.

"So." Angela eventually said, finishing her burger and moving on to the remaining fries she had. "What's the plan?"

"Well, I've called in a favour from someone who owes me a few. They're sending over some transport that'll get us to Crete. Once were there, we head over to my safe house and then..." Sombra didn't know how to finish her sentence. In all honesty, she felt like she still knew nothing about Widow's condition. "I guess we see how Widow is doing."

"How was she before she left?" Angela asked, taking a drink of water as she asked. "Did anything in her behaviour change?"

"She was on edge. As for her behaviour, she was becoming more emotional before she left. Usually she's quite difficult to read and you can't really tell if she's feeling anything, well unless she's pissed off, then you can tell. Lately though, I can tell there's more emotion behind her words. I also don't think she's told me everything."

"Doesn't she trust you?" Fareeha asked, listening in to the conversation as she finished off her food.

"No, she definitely trusts me. I'm was the only one at Talon she ever opened up to. She put her life in my hands so that she could escape and she knew I could have double crossed her at any point. I just think she's scared."

"Scared of what?" Fareeha asked.

"I don't know. Maybe the whole situation, maybe something else."

"Or she could just have a lot on her mind." Angela suggested. "Anyone in her position would be feeling scared. Do you know how her conditioning works?"

Sombra reached inside her coat for a phone, activating it and bringing up a copy of Widow's medical file. "It's all written down here. I've combined it all into one file, though I don't think Talon have all the correct details."

Angela read through the beginning of the lengthy file, skipping some parts of it as she began to gain a better picture and avoiding anything she considered personal to Widow. She stopped at the section that explain what happened when Amelie returned to Talon, reading the section through slowly. "Sombra, have there been any moments where Amelie's conditioning visibly broke down recently?"

"Yes, it's happened quite a few times I believe. I was in the room with her the one time it happened."

"What exactly happened? Any visible side effects?"

Sombra thought for a few moments. "Well, it usually starts with pain in her head and she seems to lose balance during the pain. Then she sees one of her old memories."

Mercy passed the phone back to Sombra, her mind full of possibilities. "I have a few ideas of what may be happening to her..."

"It's like I said, her conditioning is breaking down." Sombra interrupted.

"No, I mean what's happening inside her head. I agree with you when you said Talon may have gotten some of the details wrong. I know that if you torture a person enough, they will accept anything you tell them, no matter how strong they are. If that were the case, then I think she would have started to remember long ago. We still don't fully understand how the human mind works but to change someone so drastically, to make them forget that much for so long... it's looks like some form of amnesia."

"Can you fix it though? Can you help her remember?" Sombra asked.

"I might... or maybe we just need to give it time. From what you've told me, as well as what I've read here, I have an idea of what actually happened inside her head. Though I need to see her and talk to her to know if I'm right."

Sombra nodded, checking the location of the jet on her computer. It was less than 10 minutes away, its landing site not too far away. "Okay, our ride's going to be here soon. Once it's here, we'll make our way to it and fly over to my safe house. There's some makeup and medical supplies in that other bag. I just need to fetch something from my room, so back in a few."

Angela and Fareeha nodded, as Sombra took her leave. Once Sombra was gone, Fareeha turned to Angela.

"Are you sure we can trust her? I still don't think she's telling us everything."

Angela stood, walking over to the bag left behind by Sombra. "Yes. She probably is hiding some things from us but that's probably because we're unknowns to her. She's taking a risk and the concern she has for Amelie is genuine. I've seen it countless times. It reminds me of Emily a little."

"Who?"

"Oh, I thought you knew. She's Lena's girlfriend. I met her when I went over to visit Lena at her home, though nowadays I usually end up talking to her when Lena suffers a bad injury. I think she worries about her injuries more than Lena does."

"That does sound like Lena." Fareeha joked, as Angela looked inside the bag.

Inside was an assortment of makeup, as well as plasters, bandages and some pain killers. She took out a small amount of makeup for now, walking over to Fareeha and sitting back down next to her. "I think we both need a little of this on."

Meanwhile, Sombra had entered her room and sat down on the chair. Her computer was open and Sombra was busy typing away. She was searching for a phone number. Eventually, she found what she was looking for, activating a number of programs before dialling the number.

Watchpoint Gibraltar

Everyone was busy doing their own thing. Reinhardt and Brigitte were sparing outside. Zarya was in the gym, while Lucio and DVa were listening to music. McCree was simply sitting outside Winston's lab, eventually getting up and going for a walk through the base. Zenyatta was meditating in view of the ocean, Genji sitting alongside him while Hanzo and the Bastion watched. The rest of the team were inside Winston's lab, some helping Athena search for any intel on where Angela and Fareeha could be. The rest were too busy listening to Lena and Morrison argue, Winston and Ana watching the two closely.

"Where are they then?" Lena asked, with a forceful tone. The conversation wasn't hostile, not yet anyway. Lena could tell Morrison wasn't telling the whole truth. He knew something about Angela's whereabouts and she needed to know what it was.

"I don't know."

"Oh really? So, you're not withholding any information at all?" Lena's sarcastic tone was annoying Morrison. Yet he hated that she was right. He hadn't decided if now was the right time to tell them.

"Not at all Oxton."

"So, how come you knew they weren't at that base? Inside source you said. Who was it? Hmm."

Lena couldn't tell but Morrison was getting more and more frustrated as she continued prying. Fortunately, he never needed to reply, as Athena interrupted the conversation.

"Winston, I have received a message."

"Who from?" He asked, not turning away from Lena and Morrison, in case the situation between them escalated.

"Unknown. The message only has two words."

Athena brought the message up on a nearby screen. The four nearby agents walked over to the screen, reading the extremely short message.

 _They're safe._

"Your inside source I'm guessing. Shame we have no idea where they are." Lena sarcastically commented, clearly aiming it at Morrison. He was almost going to return with a loud comment, only for Ana to shoot him a death glare, making him think twice.

Winston, seeing the tension between Lena and Morrison, decided to intervene before it got out of hand. "Lena, can I have a word in private?"

"Sure." Winston began to head towards the exit for the lab, turning when Lena didn't follow. She stood staring at Morrison for a few moments, still not happy with the situation. In the end, she withdrew, heading towards the exit with Winston.

Once they were gone, Ana placed her hand in front of Jack, stopping him from walking off. "You need to tell them."

"How? I don't know how to convince them..."

"Nor do I... but we need to tell them. Clearly they're safe, so we need to focus on finding them. We can't do that if everyone thinks they're still in danger or if we're arguing amongst ourselves."

Morrison turned his head away, considering his options. "Fine. I'll tell them later."

"No. You will tell them now. Everyone's at this base, so now is the best time." Morrison simply sighed, nodding his head.

Meanwhile, Winston and Lena were standing outside the lab, Lena leaning against the wall as she calmed herself down.

"Lena, you need to stop giving Morrison a hard time. He's here to help."

"I know and I'm sorry. It's just..."

"I know Lena. We all want to find them... but fighting amongst ourselves won't get us anywhere."

"I know luv. It just he's hiding something. He knows something and he's not telling us. I can see it." Just before Winston could speak again, Lena's phone went off. See looked at the caller ID, seeing that it was Emily.

"I'll let you get that. Come back in once you're ready and we'll continue looking." Winston said, walking back inside the lab.

Lena now answered her phone, hoping that Emily could give her some ideas on what to do. "Hey luv."

"Lena Oxton?"

The voice was deep and had clearly been altered so that it sounded this way. Whoever this was, it wasn't Emily

"Who's asking?"

"A friend of Overwatch. I assume you want to know where Mercy and Pharah are, yes?"

"Where are they? I swear if you've..."

"Relax, they're fine. However, I need a favour from you."

Lena tensed up when she heard this. She had no idea who this person was but right now, they were likely her best bet at finding Angela and Fareeha.

"Okay. What do you want?"

"Mercy doesn't have her healing staff, I assume she left it behind at your base. I need you to bring it to us."

Lena turned towards the lab, where Mercy's healing staff was current sitting. She never took it with her, after all, why would she think she needed it. "I can do that. Where do you want it?"

"All in good time Miss Oxton."

"What do you mean by that? Where are they?"

"The location will reveal itself in time. All you need to do is go there. One other thing, you must be alone. Tell no one else about this. Only you."

Lena thought for a few moments, debating if this was a good idea. "Fine. When I see the location I'll be there, alone."

The call was disconnected as soon as she said that. Lena just stood there, lowering her phone and putting it away as her thoughts consumed her. She knew this was dangerous. There were way too many unknowns, yet a part of her was saying to give it a chance.

"Attention all agents, please report to the main lab."

Athena's announcement dragged Lena back to reality, making her look around at the other nearby agents. McCree had reappeard and was now walking towards the lab.

"Hey Lena, you okay? You look a little lost."

"Yeah... I'm okay I guess. Just want to find Ang." Lena didn't look up at McCree, doing exactly what the caller wanted, not telling anyone about it. McCree didn't think anything of Lena's odd behaviour, simply assuming that it was due to the situation.

"Wherever they are, we'll find them. Better not keep the boss waiting."

Lena nodded, following McCree inside shortly afterwards. It didn't take long for everyone to assemble, Reinhardt and Brigitte being the last to arrive. They clearly had ran from wherever they were, running into the lab very quickly.

"What's happened? Have you found something?" Reinhardt asked, hoping that something, anything had come up.

Instead, Morrison moved into view, being very careful with his next words. "There's something all of you need to know."

"Is this regarding that inside source of yours?" McCree asked, placing a cigar into his mouth and lighting it.

"Sort of. It's about what happened at that Talon facility. There's more going on than we first thought. This wasn't just a simple breakout... it turns out that Sombra was behind it."

The agents began to whisper to themselves, each raising concerns with the others.

"Sombra is Talon! Why on earth would she help them escape?" McCree asked, simply saying what everyone was thinking.

"I don't exactly know. Maybe she's simply had enough with Talon and has gone rogue, or maybe she's just doing something good for once. Whatever her reasons, she's taken Angela and Fareeha with her. That's not all though."

"Oh, this should be good. What's next, has Doomfist decided to change sides?" Torb sarcastically commented, not expecting what was coming next.

"No, but Widowmaker might have. My inside source says that Widow has gone rogue and Sombra helped her escape as well."

No one spoke or whispered among themselves this time. Sombra going rogue was one thing but Widow was a completely different situation.

"What do you mean rogue?" Brigitte asked, remembering the stories Reinhardt had told her.

"Apparently, her conditioning is breaking down. She's remembering who she was and she's trying to escape because of it."

"Not possible." Lena said, gaining everyone's attention. "I was there when she killed Mondatta. I looked her right in the eyes. There was no sign of remorse or regret. She didn't care, in fact she was proud of it! There's no way her original self was in there."

"I agree with Lena." McCree said, slightly surprised that he actually agreed with her on this matter. "A lot of us knew Amelie but she died a long time ago. Widow isn't Amelie, not anymore."

"But what if he's correct?" Everyone turned to face Zenyatta, who was hovering near the back of the group. "I knew Mondatta well, he was a great inspiration to us all. He would be more than willing to forgive Amelie for what she has done. That means I am willing to forgive her. We cannot assume that her conditioning can't fail, so we should act to help her."

"My master is correct." Genji added. "Amelie had no choice in what she was doing. She was programmed to obey Talon. We should not blame her for what she has been forced to do, when she is a victim herself. We need to be there in her time of need. We need to bring her back home."

"I may not have known her before but Widowmaker is extremely dangerous." DVa added, Lucio nodding in agreement with her. "What if she's simply faking it to lure us into a trap?"

Everyone was divided on the issue. Some agreed with Zenyatta and Genji, while others considered that Lena and McCree were right. There were even some agents which kept out of the debate, keeping their opinions to themselves. In the end, Torbjorn turned to Reinhardt.

"What do you think? You've been unusually quiet on this matter."

Reinhardt never answered the question, keeping his opinions to himself. Instead, he changed the topic.

"Has there been any development with Angela and Fareeha?"

"No." Morrison replied. "All we got was a message saying that they were safe. However, with everything that's going on, it makes sense that if we find Widow, we'll find them."

"Okay." Lena began, still unconvinced. "Let's say that Widow has gone rogue and let's say Sombra has helped her. What then? It's not like they'll willingly come back with us." Several agents nodded in agreement. "We're not even sure if she has started to remember."

"I'm sure." Ana's words caught everyone off guard. "Back in King's Row, I told her that Gerard was a fool to love her. When she replied, it was full of emotion. I know that was Amelie speaking. I know she's in there."

"You lost an eye because of her!" McCree said, not convinced at all.

"Like Genji said, it wasn't her. She's a victim herself... I think we all need time to think over this matter. If anything appears, we'll call everyone back here. Dismissed."

As all the agents began to disband, going back to their own tasks, Lena began to reconsider her position. Zenyatta was willing to forgive her and Ana had heard her speak with emotion. What if they were right? Ana sounded very confident when she spoke, prehaps Widow was indeed turning. On top of that, she now had a good idea who the mystery caller was. It must have been Sombra. Despite everything, she still didn't tell anyone, not wanting to compromise her only possible way to find Angela and Fareeha.

She walked over towards Genji and Zen, wanting to ask someone else for an opinion.

"Lena, how can we be of assistance?" Genji asked.

"Actually, can I speak to Zenyatta, alone please? Private matter."

"Of course." Zen answered, Genji bowing before taking his leave, quickly running after Hanzo, who was leaving the lab. "What can I assist you with, Miss Oxton?"

"Did you mean what you said about Widow? Would you forgive her after everything she's done?"

Zenyatta didn't hesitate, replying instantly. "Indeed I did. She is a victim in all of this. Mondatta would not want us to hold her responsible for something she had no choice in doing."

"Mondatta was an inspiration to me... I'm sorry I couldn't stop her."

"Do not blame yourself. It was not your fault and from what I've heard, neither was it Widow's." Zen placed a hand on Lena's shoulder, causing her to give a small smile in return. "I sense that there is something else troubling you. Do you wish to speak about it?"

Lena thought over the offer. In the end, she had to speak to someone and Zen seemed like he'd know what to do. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course." He replied, keeping his voice down so no one else could hear them.

"Just before the meeting, I got a phone call from someone. I didn't know who it was before but now, I'm pretty sure it was Sombra. She asked me to bring Ang's healing staff somewhere, though she hasn't said where yet."

"I assume you haven't told anyone else this?"

"She told me not to. She said I had to go alone... I don't know what to do. It's risky going alone but I think it's the best chance I have at finding Ang and Fareeha. What should I do?"

Zen considered the situation for a short while. "I'm afraid I cannot answer this question. While there is indeed a risk in following this persons instructions, only you can decide whether this risk is worth taking. Is there anyone close to you?"

"Yes. Emily, my girlfriend."

"May I suggest that you speak to her about this. She will know you far better than I do and so would be able to help you decide."

Lena nodded. She was planning to call Emily soon anyway and she always gave her good advice. "Okay. Thanks Zen."

Zen bowed his head, before floating off in the direction Genji went. Lena quickly pulled her phone out and dialed Emily, walking out of the lab and out of sight, making sure no one was around to hear her. It only took a couple moments for Emily to answer.

"Hey Lena. How is everything?"

"Luv, can I talk to you for a moment? I need some advice and you're the only one I think I'll listen to." That was the truth. Zen's words were powerful and full of wisdom but she'd listen to Emily on any topic.

"Of course you can. What's up Lena?"

Lena breathed in. "We haven't found Ang or Fareeha yet. We got to the base they were at and they were gone."

"Oh... Lena, are you okay?" Emily's voice was full of worry. She knew Angela and Lena were good friends. This must of been tearing her apart.

"Yeah, I'm okay. It's just, according to Morrison, one of Talon helped break them out... I think this person called me."

"What did they want?"

"They wanted me to bring Ang's staff to them and not tell anyone about it. Thing is, this could just be a trap for all I know. What do I do luv?"

Lena heard Emily sigh as she thought it over. "What does your head tell you?"

"My head says that it's too risky and I shouldn't go."

"And what does your heart say?"

Lena thought deeply. "My heart says that I have to go. This could be my best chance at finding them."

"Then listen to your heart. That's what you did with me. Just, be careful okay."

"I will, I promise you. Em, I love you."

"I love you too Lena."

With that, Lena ended the call. She'd decided what to do. Emily was right, she had to listen to her heart and it was screaming at her to go through with this. All she needed was the location and she'd be over there instantly.

Crete, Greece- Several hours later.

Widow had managed to keep herself occupied while she waited for Sombra. She'd done a large shop and now the villa was full of food, drinks and other various things she may need.

Widow had cooked herself a meal for dinner, remembering a recipe she cooked when she was at her makeshift home in France. She'd left a lot of things at Chateau Guillard, things that were personal to her. Widow hoped that she would be able to collect them at some point.

After eating dinner, Widow had sat and watched the tv, finding a film channel and catching one that had just started. After an hour and a half the film ended and she was left with little else to do. She even debated trying to play the piano, that was sat in the corner of the room. She quickly dismissed this idea, as she had no idea how to even play in the first place. Since it was starting to get late, she decided to call it a night, assuming that Sombra wouldn't arrive till tomorrow.

Widow turned off the lights and walked upstairs to the main bedroom. She'd already washed off the makeup she was plastered in, so she simply made sure her rifle was within reaching distance, before taking her clothing off and climbing into the large bed.

It took her a while to drift off, her mind too occupied trying to answer the many questions she had. Eventually though, she fell into a deep sleep. However, as soon as she was asleep, she was transferred straight back into hell.

Widow was back in the Spider's lair and Amelie was curled up in a corner of the room. The Spider was no where to be seen, yet Widow knew she was lurking somewhere in the darkness. Widow ran forward, touching Amelie's arm to get her attention.

"NO!" Amelie shouted, desperately crawling away from Widow. "Please. Don't hurt me."

"I'm not here to do that." Widow replied, standing up but keeping her distance.

"I'm afraid you are Widow."

There she was, the Spider. She appeared from the dark, almost like she walked out of a cloud of smoke. Unlike the other times, there was one very distinct feature that was different. Her dark red eyes were now glowing.

Widow knew something wasn't right. Something bad was about to happen.

"I'm sorry Widow. I'm afraid we're running out of time. Amelie must die tonight."

Amelie walked a few steps forward, stopping right in front of the Spider. "What are you?"

"I told you. I'm..."

"Cut the crap. I know you're not here for my best interests. What do you really want?"

The Spider and Widow stared at each other, neither backing down. Widow noticed that the Spider's eyes got a darker shade of red and began glowing even more. Then it clicked.

"You're not her to save me. You're here to stop me escaping. You're part of Talon's master plan to keep me loyal. You're part of my conditioning... No wonder your eyes are so red, I'm defying you... Then let me make it clear to you. I will not kill her." Widow smiled to herself. She was winning, the Spider was powerless to stop her.

Or that's what she thought.

The Spider let out a loud laugh, forcing Widow to cover her ears. "Ah Widow, I tried being nice. Seems I'll have to take matters into my own hands."

Webs began to shoot out of the floor, wrapping around Amelie and holding her down to the floor. Widow felt an invisible force turn her around, then her legs started to move on their own. She'd lost control over her own body.

The Spider walked next to Widow as she was forced forward, straight towards Amelie.

"The balance must be restored Widow."

A step forward.

"You're stronger than her."

Another step.

"You're better than her."

Another.

"She is now irrelevant."

One more step.

"So end her miserable life. Choke her to death."

Widow knelt down, her hands wrapping around Amelie.

"Kill her. NOW!"

Widow's hands began to tighten around Amelie's neck, Amelie trying everything she could to get free of the webs. In the end, there was nothing she could do.

"That's it Widow. Balance must be restored. Let her die. Feel her die."

Amelie began to gasp for air, as Widow's grip tightened. Amelie began to lose consciousness, Widow seeing the life leaving her. This was the breaking point for Widow.

"No."

The Spider's smile left her. "What?"

"No. NO!" Widow regained control, leaping up and grabbing the Spider. Her hands went for her neck, clamping down around it.

"Let... me... go."

"NO! I AM NOT YOU'RE SLAVE! I AM NOT ANYONE'S SLAVE! NOT ANYMORE!"

The webs that held down Amelie let go, shooting towards Widow. She saw them heading towards her and dodged out of the way, giving the Spider time to stand.

Widow turned to Amelie, who was coughing and breathing heavily. "Amelie, run!"

She didn't need to be told twice, standing and running away from the violence. She wasn't able to get far, as a wall appeared in front of her.

"This is my domain Widow! I control everything here! I WILL NOT BE DENIED! Embrace what you are and kill her!"

Widow knew that tone. Only one person at Talon used that phrase.

"No! I'm going to end this, right now!"

"Someone has to die and if she doesn't, you will!"

The Spider short forward, almost at inhuman speed and attempted to grab Widow. She dodged out of the way and landed a hit on the Spider, sending her stumbling forward. This only angered her and the rage she held was let out on Amelie. Webs once again shot out of the ground and tied her up, forcing her into a sitting position.

Widow ran forward, swinging punches at the Spider, who effortlessly dodged them. Soon after, she returned with three heavy punches, causing Widow to step back and hold her chest.

"I know your every move before you've even made it. How can you possibly hope to beat me?"

Widow ran forward again, trying to hit the Spider but failing. Every hit was blocked, even the kicks she attempted got her nowhere. Eventually, the Spider grew bored and began its own assault. Widow managed to block a few hits but most managed to get past her, the heavy impacts causing her more and more pain. The Spider aimed for her head, causing her nose to start bleeding and finally bringing Widow down to the floor.

She knew she couldn't keep taking hits like that.

"Give in Widow." The Spider's eyes were now glowing a deep red, actually sending a chill down Widow's spine. Whatever this thing was, it had to die. Widow slowly stood back up, clutching her side before wiping away the blood coming from her nose.

"That all you got. I have all night."

The Spider chuckled. "I don't think so. Killing Gerard was too easy. At least you're putting up a fight."

Widow suddenly had a surge of energy. Anger filled her and sent power to all her muscles. Something took over her. A need for revenge.

Widow ran forward once again, sliding once she was close enough and avoiding the Spider's attack. She went for her legs, managing to catch her off balance. Widow stood and began her attack once again, punching and kicking the Spider faster than she could defend.

"I.. will not... be bested by... you Widow." The Spider said, speaking as it defended itself from Widow's attacks. However, Widow's new found strength had given her the edge and she managed to overpower the Spider. She forced it to the floor, climbing on top of her and punching her face numerous times, before clamping her hands around her neck once again.

"My name is Amelie Lacroix and I will no longer do your bidding!" Widow gritted her teeth, pure anger the only thing visible on her face.

The Spider tried to free itself, however, it was no use. Widow's grip was too strong. Its red eyes began to dim, quickly losing their dark red glow. Eventually, the Spider took its final breath, it's body going limp and the webs around Amelie loosened.

With nothing left to hold her in place, Amelie fell to the floor, quickly untangling herself from the webs and backing herself up against the wall, crawling as far away from the Spider as she could.

Widow meanwhile remained exactly where she was, making sure that the Spider was dead. Once she was sure, Widow stood up and looked over the dead body. The room also seemed to brighten, yet there was no light source to cause this.

"Is she dead?" Widow turned to Amelie, seeing her sobbing slightly. She walked over to her, leaning against the wall and sliding down it, sitting next to Amelie.

"Yes. She's dead."

Amelie immediately hugged Widow, letting all her emotions out. Without a second thought, Widow wrapped her arms around Amelie, letting her cuddle into her. "It's okay. She's gone. No one will ever hurt you again."

"No one?"

"No one. I promise you."

Without warning, Widow awoke from the dream, sitting up as she returned to reality. She was covered in sweat and breathing heavily. She sat for a while, calming herself down as she processed what just happened.

Widow looked at her hands. They were shaking and her heartbeat, while still slow, was quicker than usually. She felt different. Like someone had just opened a door and a breath of fresh air had swept in. Whatever that dream was, the outcome had changed her... and that scared her.

There was suddenly a ringing that filled the villa. Widow's eyes instinctively moved to the door of the bedroom, ready for anything. After she heard the ringing for a second time, Widow realised it was the doorbell. She climbed out of bed and found a dressing gown, making herself look decent before walking to the front door. Before she left the bedroom, Widow picked up her rifle, just in case she needed it.

As she reached the door, she placed one hand on the handle, while the other hid her rifle behind the door. She didn't know what to expect and she was still shaking after that dream. Thankfully, as she opened the door, a welcome sight greeted her.

"Hey Widow." It was Sombra, along with Mercy and Pharah. "Sorry I took a while. Had to..."

Sombra stopped, looking into Widow's eyes and seeing the fear in them. "Widow, what's happened?"

Widow felt herself go light headed and stumbled back, dropping her rifle and falling to the floor. Sombra ran forward and managed to catch Widow, stopping her from hitting the floor hard. She helped her up and walked her the short distance to the sofa, the two sitting down.

Angela meanwhile had ran to the kitchen, finding a glass and filling it with water. Fareeha didn't really know what to do, so she closed the door and picked up Widow's rifle, placing it on a nearby table.

Sombra now took ahold of Widow's hands. "Widow. What happened?"

Widow's breathing had slowed down now and she was no longer feeling light headed. Her hands were still shaking but no where near as bad as they were. "I had a dream... something's snapped inside my head Sombra... I'm... I'm scared."

Sombra pulled Widow into a hug. "It's okay. I'm here now."

Angela now appeared beside them, offering Widow the glass of water. She took the glass, still shaking slightly and took a sip.

"Amelie... What happened in that dream?" Widow didn't know how to react to Angela's question. She didn't know if she could trust Angela with something so personal. Fortunately, Sombra saw her hesitation.

"Widow... she's here to help you. You can trust her." Sombra said softly, hoping that she would open up.

"Can I? Can you help me?" For Angela, this was all the proof she needed. This wasn't the Widowmaker she knew. She sounded so vulnerable and desperate. She sounded more like Amelie again. She had to help her.

"Yes. You can trust me. What happened in that dream?"

Widow took a deep breath. "In my dream, there were two different versions of me. One was Amelie before I became this... the other called itself the Spider and looked like me, except with glowing red eyes. The Spider wanted me to kill Amelie. In return, she'd show me what I wanted to see. At one point, she managed to take control of my body and tried to make me kill Amelie. In the end..."

"You killed Amelie?" Angela asked, guessing the answer.

"No... I managed to overpower her... I killed the Spider. Now everything feels... different... like a door was opened inside my head."

Angela processed this information. "How many times have you had this dream?"

"Three."

"Were they the same dream? Or did parts change?" Angela asked, forming an idea in her head what these dreams could be.

"Each time was different. The first time I met the Spider. The second she tried to persuade me to kill Amelie. The third I killed the Spider."

Angela placed her hand on her chin, thinking over the facts she'd just been told. "I don't think that was a natural dream."

"Neither do I." Widow admitted. "The Spider... she sounded too much like Moira at one point."

Angela looked away slightly, saddened by the thought of what Widow had been through. Sombra meanwhile hugged Widow again and she rested her head on Sombra's shoulder.

"I think you should try and get some rest." Angela said to Widow. "Tomorrow, I'll sit with you and you can talk me through everything. I've read through some of your medical report, though I haven't read anything personal. Am I okay to read this?"

Even now, Angela had her doctor persona on. She didn't want to do anything that would make Widow feel uncomfortable.

Widow let Sombra go, turning towards Angela. "Oui. I have nothing to hide... and you need to know."

Sombra stood up with Widow, helping her towards the stairs. Just as they reached them, Widow signalled Sombra go stop. "Angela. Thank you."

"You're welcome." She gave Widow a welcoming smile, one that helped ease her mind further. With that, Sombra helped her up the stairs and back into the main bedroom. A few moments later and Sombra was back down the stairs.

"How is she?" Angela asked.

"She's okay, just a bit shaken up. I'm guessing you have some idea of what's going on?" She asked Angela, as Fareeha watched with her arms folded.

"I do have a few. That dream she had was possibly a final fail safe to stop her regaining her memories. Since it's failed..."

"She could start remembering a lot more?" Fareeha finished, joining in the conversation. She didn't understand as much as Angela but she picked up a little of what was happening, enough to get a rough idea.

"Exactly. It's like I said back in Switzerland, she's suffering from something like amnesia. Yet it's clearly more than that... Talon has done something to her, that's forced her memories back. There has to be something inside her head causing this, psychological or mechanical."

"Mechanical? How would that even work?" Fareeha asked.

"I'm not sure... Talon has done a lot to her, cooled down her body temperature, blocked her emotions... I wouldn't be too surprised if they'd put something inside her head as well."

"Maybe you should get some rest too." Fareeha suggested. "You'll be able to think more clearly in the morning."

"Agreed." Sombra said. "We should all get some rest. Hopefully, you'll be able to get a bigger picture tomorrow."

Angela nodded in agreement. With Widow hopefully now asleep, she wasn't getting further tonight. "Very well. I'll get to work tomorrow."

"There's another bedroom upstairs, first on the left. I'll take the one down here."

"How many bedrooms does this place have?" Fareeha asked.

"Three. I haven't changed this place much since I got it. No real reason, I'm not here often enough."

With that, Angela and Fareeha walked up the stairs, leaving Sombra alone. She noticed that Widow's rifle had been left on a nearby table, so she picked it up and took it into her room, not wanting to just leave it lying around but also not wanting to disturb Widow.

Sombra had a few plans for tomorrow. She guessed that Widow had been food shopping, so she probably didn't need much. However, she had already contacted Overwatch, in more ways that one. She considered that Mercy would need her healing staff at some point, so she contacted Tracer. All she needed to do was send her position and she'd come running. She just hoped that Tracer would be willing to listen.


	12. Heartbreaker

**Heartbreaker**

Crete, Greece- The next morning

The early morning sun was shining down on the island of Crete, bringing the island to life. The nearby restaurants and bakery's were all open and tourists moved around searching for breakfast. As the sunlight hit the villa, Sombra began to wake up. She opened her eyes slowly and looked to her left, seeing the sunlight hitting the curtains as it attempted to enter the room.

Eventually, Sombra admitted to herself that she needed to get up. She threw the covers off herself and walked to the nearby wardrobe, finding a black top and a pair of shorts to put on for now. Whenever she was here, which wasn't often, Sombra usually slept in whichever room she got to first. Due to this, she made sure there was some clothes in every bedroom for her.

When she was dressed, Sombra opened the curtains and looked out at the scenery. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky today, meaning that the temperature would be high. As she stood admiring the view, Sombra began to smell something cooking.

She turned and opened the door to her bedroom, walking out and seeing Widow in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. Sombra guessed that she'd been up a while, since she was fully dressed and her hair was tied up. Once she saw Sombra, Widow gave her a small wave, before turning around and turning on a coffee machine.

"Hey Widow." Sombra said, as she walked over and joined her in the kitchen. "What's for breakfast?"

"Croissants. I found a bakery nearby when I was out yesterday and decided to have a look inside." Widow replied, leaning against the counter once again as she waited for her breakfast to cook.

"I know where you mean. It's a good place, does really nice cakes. Coffee?"

"Oui, merci."

Sombra opened a cupboard and found two mugs, filling both with coffee and handing the one to Widow. She wasted no time finding the milk and sugar, taking a sip once it was ready.

"So." Sombra began, as she took another sip of her drink. "Before the doc wakes up, how are you feeling? You look better since last night."

Widow thought for a moment. "I feel... different. It's difficult to explain, but it's like someone opened a door and a draft of air swept in. On top of that, my heart's beating slightly quicker now."

"How much quicker?" Sombra asked, slightly surprised by this.

"Not much, a beat or two... though I don't know how it's happened."

Sombra moved closer to Widow, placing a hand on hers. "You've been under a lot of stress recently and you're remembering old memories. Maybe it's having an effect on your body as well. Mercy will be able to tell us."

With that, the oven signalled that the food was ready. Widow placed on some oven gloves and removed the croissants, placing them on a couple of plates and passing one to Sombra. The two moved over to the couch and Sombra turned on the tv, watching whatever happened to be on.

After a short while, the two women heard movements from upstairs and a shower turn on.

"I guess the two lovebirds are awake." Sombra joked, gaining a confused look from Widow.

"Lovebirds? No way, Angela has always been too focused on her work..." As soon as Widow said this, she closed her eyes and grabbed her head with one hand, the other carefully putting her food down. After a few seconds, she released her head and let out a large breath, blinking a few times.

"You okay?" Sombra asked, noticing that Widow wasn't in as much pain as usual.

"Yeah... this has been happening all morning. Little things keep coming through. Doesn't hurt as much as it did, a small headache afterwards." Widow explained, picking her breakfast back up and continuing to eat.

"It's probably due to that dream." The two women turned towards the stairs to see Angela, who was wearing a long, black dressing gown. She walked over and sat down on a nearby chair. "If we're right and that dream you had was your conditioning failing, then it makes sense you'd be remember these little things."

"So, this is good?" Widow asked.

"Yes, it's definitely good. I'm still not exactly sure what Talon did to you but I have a few ideas. Are you still up for talking with me later?"

"Yes. I'd like that." Angela gave Widow a smile, standing and walking towards the stairs. Just before she got to them, Sombra spoke.

"Oh, by the way, I need to go out for a bit. I won't be too far away, so is it okay if I leave the three of you here?"

"I'm not planning to have a party any time soon if that's what you mean." Widow commented. "I'm okay with it if Mercy is."

"Fine by me." Angela added. "What do you need to do anyway?"

"There's a few things I need to grab and I should talk to some people, show my face around town. Some of the locals know me when I've been before, so I'd rather they not knock the door unannounced."

This was a half truth. Sombra did want to show her face, so that no one came round while Widow was here. However, she had another reason for leaving and she didn't want to tell anyone just yet. She wasn't sure how everyone would react.

"Okay then. I'll work with Amelie while you're out, hopefully we can make some progress."

Both Widow and Sombra nodded at Angela, finishing their food before they stood. Widow walked back to the kitchen and began cooking breakfast for Angela and Fareeha, who emerged from upstairs a short while later. Sombra meanwhile walked back to her bedroom, closing the door and immediately headed for the shower.

After a brisk shower, Sombra began to change into her normal outfit. While dressing, she activated her computer and typed in a chain of commands. Once she was satisfied, Sombra finished dressing and walked out of the room, heading for the front door. As she opened it, she took one of the spare keys she had and then turned to wave at the three woman inside, seeing Widow smile slightly at her. Sombra began to walk towards the town, heading for a nearby bar she usually visited while here.

Watchpoint Gibraltar

Winston's lab was once again filled with activity. All of the agents were currently here, apart from DVa and Lucio, who'd agreed to go and find something for everyone to eat in the nearby town. Everyone was busy looking over monitors, looking for anything regarding Angela or Fareeha. They were also keeping an eye out for any mention of Widowmaker or Sombra. Everyone was looking, apart from one person.

Lena sat at the back of the lab, her head leaning against the wall as she thought over everything. She had a lot of questions that she wanted answers to and had simply said that she needed some time alone. She was also hiding a large secret from everyone else, that Sombra had contacted her. At least, she thought it was Sombra. For all she knew, this was a Talon trap and she was walking straight into it.

Lena ran her hand through her hair, still wondering if this was a good idea. As she looked up at the rest of the lab, she saw the Bastion sat further away, clearly keeping itself out of the way while everyone else worked. She could also tell that no one had found anything yet, since there was very little conversation between the agents.

Eventually, Lena pulled out her phone and began to text Emily.

 _Hey Em. Can we talk?_

 _Sure. You okay?_

 _Yeah. It's just I still don't know where to go to find Ang._

 _Have you told anyone else?_

 _No. Only you and one other person know._

Before the conversation could continue, Lena felt a metal finger poke her side. She knew it was the Bastion, so she simply waved it away.

"Not right now mate. I need some time alone."

She went back to her conversation with Emily, seeing her reply.

 _You need to stay calm Lena. You'll know what to do when the time comes._

Before she could reply, Lena felt the Bastion poke her again, this time with its weapon. She sighed, knowing that it wouldn't leave her alone till it was satisfied.

"What? What do you..."

When she looked up at the Bastion, Lena noticed one key difference with it. It's eye was not blue, instead it was purple. It made a motion to follow it, before turning and walking out of the lab. Everyone was too busy to notice it do this or notice Lena, who stood a few seconds later and gave chase.

 _Can I get back to you Em? Something's come up._

She placed her phone away as she followed the Bastion. It moved quickly, heading through the hanger and stepping on board a dropship. Lena was a few seconds behind it, seeing it walk over to the controls and type in a set of coordinates. Once done, the Bastion stepped back and turned its head to face Lena.

"Is that where Ang is?"

The Bastion nodded its head. A few seconds later, it's eye flickered and returned to its normal colour. It was left confused due to where it was, turning back to the controls and tilting its head.

"You don't know what just happened, do you?" Lena asked the Bastion, which turned to her and simply shook its head.

"I think you need to be checked over, someone managed to hack into you. Can you work out where that is? I'll be back in a sec."

The Bastion nodded, turning back to the controls and analysing the unknown coordinates. Lena meanwhile sprinted back to the lab, slowing down to a walk once she was close enough. Everyone was still too busy to notice her walk in and take Angela's staff from the building. She made her way back to the dropship quickly, seeing the Bastion sitting near the door when she arrived.

"Sorry, I need to go alone."

The Bastion let out a low tone, clearly meant to be one of worry.

"I'll be careful, I promise. It's just... I can't bring anyone else along. Zen knows what I'm on about."

With that the Bastion stood up and began to walk back to the lab. Lena placed the staff on one of the chairs before heading to the cockpit, sitting down at the controls. She typed in a few commands, most notably the command that disabled Athena's control over the craft. This code wasn't common knowledge for obvious reasons and only the high up members of Overwatch were meant to know it. Lena had just managed to stumble across it one day and never told anyone, just in case she ever needed it.

Lena brought out her phone, informing Emily of what was happening.

 _I have a location. Crete. I have to go Em._

 _Go get them tiger ;)_

Lena smiled when she saw Emily's reply, feeling slightly more confident. She always knew just what to say.

Meanwhile, back in the lab, Morrison had just come off the phone to one of his many sources. Even now, some people were still willing to help him out from time to time. A majority of the agents present had turned to hear what Morrison had to say, while others remained at their screens, still searching for any information on Angela or Fareeha.

"Right. From what I'm gathering, the British and the Americans are up to something. They're being very secretive about their movements and intel surrounding what they know is almost impossible to come by. All I got was that they're following a link they got from a cargo ship they intercepted."

"Wait." McCree said. "Cargo ship? As in the one Lena's friend attacked? Maybe he knows something."

"McCree has a point. Lena, who's this friend of yours?" Morrison looked up towards the back of the room, expecting to see Lena. However, he was left a little puzzled when she wasn't there. "Where's Oxton? Come to think of it, where's that Bastion?"

"Never mind that." Reinhardt said, realising that a certain piece of equipment was missing. "Where's Angela's healing staff?"

Athena answered two of these questions shortly after.

"Alert! Unauthorised dropship departure detected!"

"Override it!" Morrison ordered.

"My remote control has been overridden, I cannot gain access to the ship." Athena replied, as a number of error messages appeared on a nearby screen, confirming what she just said.

"She's being reckless." Morrison mumbled, as everyone watched the dropship take off and fly away. Winston meanwhile contacted Lena directly, hoping that she picked up her phone. Fortunately, she did.

"Lena, what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry Winston... I need to do this alone."

"Do what alone? Lena, what's going on?" Winston pleaded, trying to stop her from running off alone.

"Someone contacted me with specific instructions... They said Ang and Fareeha were with them and that I have to go alone. This is the best chance we have at finding them."

"Or it could be a trap!" Morrison said, interrupting Winston before he could reply. "You need to focus, think about what you're doing. I know what I said before but Sombra isn't Talon's only hacker. They could very well be minipulating you, trying to take some of us down while we're busy looking for Angela and Fareeha."

There was only silence from Lena for a few moments. After she thought it over, she spoke again. "I know... but I have to try."

Lena hung up the call and Jack simply grunted in annoyance. "She could be walking right into a trap and she won't know until it's too late... Can you regain control over the ship?" He asked Winston.

Winston began typing on his computer. "I may be able to... but it'll take a while, the system wasn't intended to be overridden again. Also I can see on the base cameras that the Bastion is heading this way."

Morrison nodded. "Ana, McCree, Reinhardt, you three be ready to move if I give the order, she might need our help. Someone get DVa and Lucio back here, double time... and someone go fetch that Bastion, we may need it."

Everyone reacted quickly, as a few agents moved to respond to Jack's orders. Reinhardt went to fetch his armour, while Torb and Brigitte went to find the Bastion. McCree meanwhile contacted the two missing agents, telling them to hurry up. Even though she hadn't discussed this with the rest of them, they all hoped that Lena knew what she was doing.

Oasis- Iraq

Reaper walked quickly through the city, searching for where Moira had set up her lab. Her connection with this place was very useful for Talon, yet Reyes hated coming here. It always meant walking in on some strange experiment Moira was doing and they usually had a bad outcome for the test subject.

Despite what Sombra had said, Reaper hadn't told Talon everything. He had listened to her in a way and he wasn't covering the whole situation up. However, he'd neglected to mention that Sombra and Widow had gone rogue. Now Talon were busy working out what had happened. This meeting with Moira was a status update.

The area was very quiet at the moment, Reaper moving through the city at a time when no one else was really walking around. It didn't really matter when he got to Moira, so he decide to make her wait just a little longer.

As he reached the building Moira was set up in, he opened the door and walked inside, paying no attention to the person that greeted him. He attempted to show Reaper the way, yet he already knew where to go, this the fifth time he'd been here.

When he finally entered her lab, he was somewhat surprised to see a number of bodies. Bodies from the destroyed base to be exact. They were burnt beyond recognition and clearly were from the explosion in the hanger. Moira had her back to the door, along with a couple of Talon scientists, all working on presumably the same thing.

"You're not planning to raise the dead, are you Moira?"

"Not at all Gabriel. We still don't know where Amelie is, so we're checking all the bodies." Moira tapped the scientists shoulder next to her, signaling for them to take over.

"I have the feeling there's more to this. Why else would you tell me to come all the way here?"

Moira walked over to Reaper, folding her arms behind her back. "It seems clear what happened at that base. It was an inside job. Only one person had the potential to cause that much damage. Sombra."

"So, you want me to find her I'm guessing." Reaper replied, shrugging as he spoke.

"Yes. Though I wanted to know if she or Amelie showed any sign of betrayal beforehand."

"How should I know? Sombra kept a lot to herself and didn't tell me much. Widow on the other hand seemed fine. Why would she have gone rogue?" Reaper knew exactly what had happened, he was simply playing along, making sure his ass was covered.

Moira turned to one of the bodies. "Sombra may be very smart but the dropship Amelie was on exploded. We found the remains of a device, which I assume caused the engines to overload, yet I can't work out how she got it on board. There's no way Sombra could have taken Amelie prisoner and it's very unlikely that she managed to kill her. That leaves one very possible alternative."

"We would have noticed if Widow's conditioning was failing." Reaper said, knowing where Moira was going.

"Would we? If Amelie hid it from us, we would have had no idea until it was too late. If none of these bodies are hers, then I conclude that Widowmaker is no longer loyal to Talon. If that's the case, then she could very easily become Overwatch's greatest ally." Moira turned herself back to face Reaper, who had his arms folded. "We cannot allow them to learn what she knows."

"So you want me to find them both. Then what?"

"Capture them if possible. If not, Akande says to terminate them. Our alliance with Sombra is at an end and Amelie will be too big a liability."

Reaper nodded. "Anything else?"

Moira turned back to her lab assistants. "Were you able to salvage any data from the base?"

Reaper knew exactly the reason why she'd asked him this. Moira wanted to see if he knew about her capturing Fareeha. He never really knew why he didn't want her harmed. Guilt perhaps, due to Ana's supposed death. Or maybe he wasn't as cold hearted as he thought. Whatever the reason, he'd made it clear numerous times and Moira simply disregarded it. Despite the temptation to rush over to Moira and smash her head against one of the counters, Reaper held onto what he knew for now, saving it for another time.

"Nothing. The whole system was fried."

"A shame... but no matter, I can rebuild what was there."

"What about your plan for Mercy? You can't exactly make the nano tech without her."

Moira chuckled at his question, walking over to a briefcase sitting nearby and taking out a vial full of blood. "I had an insurance policy in place. A sample of Mercy's blood. I should be able to continue my work with this."

"You think of everything don't you?"

Moira chuckled once again, placing the blood sample away and walking back to her lab assistants. "I try to. I'll send you the results once I know if Amelie is here or not."

Once Moira waved him away, Reaper turned and walked back towards the exit. On his way out, the person who greeted him was standing with his back to him and Reyes couldn't resist walking into him and shoving him with his arm, causing him to fall over. Once he was outside, Reyes began the walk back to the ship, giving him time to think.

"Moira is getting close to finding out the truth. Hope Sombra's good at staying hidden."

Crete, Greece- Three hours later 

Lena kept a close eye on the time, making sure that she wasn't too early or late. As she'd gotten closer to Crete, she'd received more instructions regarding what to do. She was to meet whoever was sending these messages at a popular bar, where there would be numerous tourists at the time of the meeting.

This meant that Lena couldn't just raise her weapons any time she felt like it. She had to keep them hidden, as well as anything else that could raise attention. So, she couldn't take Mercy's staff into the open either and she'd kept it safe on board the dropship, hidden in a secluded location so no one could stumble across it so easily.

Now she was walking into town, trying her best to blend in. This wasn't the easiest of tasks, since she didn't have a way to cover up her accelerator. Due to leaving the Watchpoint very quickly, she hadn't had time to pick up any extra clothing, her mind focused on finding her missing friends. Thankfully, no one really payed her too much attention. It was mostly children who recognised her and she gave them her signature salute as she passed them.

Once she found the bar, Lena walked inside and found an empty table. A waitor soon approached and took her order, which was simply a Coca Cola. Once her drink arrived, she waited. Waited for whoever it was to arrive. She was pretty confident that it was Sombra, after all, who else could it be. With what Morrison had said, along with the entire situation she was in, Sombra was a very likely candidate.

It was at least 20 minutes later before someone she recognised finally walked into the bar. Sure enough, it was Sombra. Lena watched her wave to the bartender and order a drink, almost like she was unaware Lena was there. Once she had her drink, Sombra turned and walked over to Lena's table, placing her drink down and slowly sitting down.

"Where's the staff?" Sombra asked, noticing its absence.

"Nearby. I couldn't walk through town with it in hand, it would draw too much attention."

There was an uneasy silence between the two for a while and Lena could tell that Sombra was uncomfortable. She tried twice to start a sentence, only to stop and think it over again. The normally confident hacker was now struggling to find the words. Lena connected the dots and realised that Morrison must have been right.

"This is about Widowmaker, ain't it?" Lena asked, breaking the silence between them.

"How do you... never mind. Yeah it is." Sombra breathed in. "Look, I need you to listen to everything I'm about to tell you. I know Overwatch will end up involved so I want it on my terms. She's nothing more than a victim, she doesn't deserve to be treated like a criminal."

"And what about you? Where do you fit into this?" Lena understood why Angela would help if Widow had indeed gone rogue. What she couldn't wrap her head around, even after the 20 minutes alone to think, was why Sombra of all people would help her.

Sombra couldn't help but chuckle. "Me. I'm a foolish young girl who thought she could change the world, only for the world to show her that she was way out of her depth."

Lena could tell there was regret in the hackers voice. This was very different to the Sombra she'd seen in battle. She assumed that there was a lot more that she wasn't telling her but Lena didn't push it, assuming Sombra wouldn't talk about it. "What's going on then? Why did you call me over here?"

Sombra breathed in once again. "Widow's conditioning is breaking down and she's remembering everything. I managed to help her escape but I knew my cover would be blown shortly after. So I broke Mercy and Pharah out and they agreed to help her. I know that Mercy will suggest going to Overwatch to continue helping Widow but I don't know how she'll feel about that."

"So you called me over here to try and convince her we're on her side?" Lena guessed, understanding Sombra's reasoning.

"Yeah. While Angela hasn't said she needs her staff, Pharah still looks a little beaten up and I thought it would help in the long term."

"Why me? You could have contacted any of us. Why only me?"

"I didn't want all of Overwatch here. Widow feels very vulnerable right now, so she'd likely panic at the sight of an entire Overwatch team. You on the other hand... She thought of you as a nemesis, someone that always caused her problems. If you show that you're willing to help her recover..."

"She'll be more willing to trust us." Lena concluded, finding herself agreeing with Sombra. "Okay, one more question. You're risking everything to help Widow. Why?"

Sombra looked down upon hearing that question. "I've seen what they did to her, they kept a record of everything they did. She didn't deserve that, no one did. I've seen every dirty secret Talon has and I'm not willing to be a part of that anymore. If you help me, I'll give Overwatch everything I know."

Lena thought for a moment. This was an incredible opportunity. She was close to finding Angela and now had an opportunity to deal a crippling blow to Talon. She wasn't going to let this go to waste. "Okay. I'll help. I'll fetch the healing staff and you can take me to them."

Sombra nodded, finishing her drink and throwing some money on the table. The two stood and left the bar, Lena leading the way towards the hidden dropship. It wasn't too long a walk, yet Sombra couldn't help but keep checking the surrounding area. Lena understood why she was on edge and she herself was keeping an eye out, just in case.

After walking a short distance out of town, they arrived at the dropship, hidden by some trees and bushes that had been left to grow. Lena boarded the ship and quickly picked up the staff, while Sombra remained outside, leaning against the dropship while she waited. After a very short time, Lena emerged with Mercy's staff in hand.

Sombra now leaned up and prepared to take the lead. "The place isn't too far away." Before Sombra could take a step, Lena placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her before she could move.

"You said before that you saw what Talon did to her..." Lena didn't need to finish her sentence, as Sombra turned to face her, activating her computer and loading a single video file.

"Are you sure you want to see. It's... not an easy watch."

Lena looked towards the screen, seeing the video ready to play. "A part of me doesn't want to... but if I know what's she's been through, I feel I'll have a better chance at convincing her I'm here to help... Play it."

Sombra did just that, playing the very first video on her records. Then she played the second. Then the third. Through every video, Lena simply watched. She only spoke after the third one, simply telling Sombra that she didn't need to see anymore.

"I... I didn't know it was that bad. If only we got to her sooner." Lena wiped away a few tears that had managed to appear. "No wonder she's so emotionless. No one would be the same after going through everything she's been through."

"And that was only part of it." Sombra added. "They did everything they could think to break her... Now she needs those who care about her to help her remember who she is."

Lena placed her hand back on Sombra's shoulder, giving her a small smile. "Come on then. Lead the way."

Sombra's villa

"How much of your old life do you currently remember?"

Widow was lying down on the sofa, her eyes closed as she answered the questions Angela asked. She'd read through Widow's medical files and had a better understanding of what Talon had done to her, yet she still considered that she was missing something. The way that Widow was remembering small chunks of her life was similar to cases of amnesia she'd seen, yet she knew there was something more to this.

"Not much. I only remember small chunks with each memory that returns."

Angela made a note on a phone, one that Sombra had left her in case they needed to talk. "And what was the last thing you remembered?"

"It was something about you actually. Sombra made a joke and I remembered how hard you used to work."

"Not much has changed since then." Angela joked, which did managed to gain a small smile from Amelie. This was something else she noted down, below a underlined note about her heart rate increasing. In fact, anything that seemed normal to anyone else, such as a smile from a joke, she noted down. All of these emotions were things Amelie shouldn't be feeling, according to her medical reports.

"I hate to ask you this but do you remember anything about..."

"About Gerard's death? Non."

"Anything before that date, while Talon had you?"

Widow thought for a moment. "It's all hazy, nothing is clear. All I can remember is that they gave me an order and I followed it. I can't even remember what they said, just that I did it."

"I saw one of the videos Sombra had. They told you that good soldiers follow orders. They brainwashed you, broke you down with endless torture. It says that they wiped that part of your conditioning when you returned. It seemed to cause too much conflict..."

"I think they wanted me to be more than a simple soldier. They wanted me to be a perfect assassin." Widow concluded, finally understanding at least a part of her conditioning.

"The Spider. It was there to train you and keep you a perfect killer. Those dreams were clearly a last ditch attempt to keep your memories repressed. The part I'm still struggling to understand is the gap between when you were first conditioned and now. Talon's files state that the conditioning was successful upon your return and that you were completely loyal to them."

"Evidently that isn't correct." Widow sarcastically commented.

"Exactly. If Talon were correct, we wouldn't be having this conversation, which leads me to think something else happened and it had to be something outside of Talon's control."

Mercy now opened up Widow's medical files. Widow sat up and waited for her to speak again, while Fareeha, who was keeping herself out of the way by sitting outside on a balcony, walked inside and offered to make the two a drink, something both of them accepted.

"The issue I have is that there's an unnatural gap in Talon's files." Mercy explained, scrolling down to the file in question. "Talon say that after you returned, your conditioning was successful at repressing both your emotions and personality the very first time they tried. However, that's likely because you weren't responding to anyone after you returned. You closed yourself off from everyone and didn't even respond to your own name."

"Maybe she was scared and just wanted the pain to stop?" Fareeha suggested as she gave the two women a glass of lemonade each.

"Perhaps." Mercy admitted, trying to find an explanation in her head. "Though Talon didn't touch Amelie when she returned. Something else happened..."

"Maybe I just gave up and didn't care what they did to me." Widow said, taking a drink and then placing the glass down.

Angela thought over what Widow said for a moment and suddenly had an idea. "Wait a moment... you could be right." She quickly looked back through the medical file, paying very close attention to what happened after Amelie returned to Talon. "Of course, how could I miss that? It fits as well, add on Talon's conditioning and it makes perfect sense."

"What does? What happened to me?"

Before Angela could reply to widow's question, the front door began to unlock and Sombra stepped in.

"Delivery for Doctor Ziegler."

Angela looked over to Sombra, expecting to see a bag of medical supplies or food. What she saw instead made her stop and analyse the item she had. Sombra was holding her healing staff, the very same one she'd left behind at Gibraltar. Angela stood up and walked over to Sombra, taking the staff from her very slowly, almost in disbelief.

"Where did you get this?"

Sombra looked towards Widow, who was watching from the sofa. "Widow, do you trust me?"

The question made her tense up, worry beginning to fill her. "Yes, I trust you."

"Then please don't freak out. Okay, you can come in."

Everyone was left confused at what Sombra was doing. That confusion quickly left when Tracer slowly walked in from around the corner. Everyone was left speechless and both Angela and Fareeha were in disbelief that Lena was standing in front of them.

"Lena?"

Tracer quickly hugged Angela, not wanting to let her go. "I thought I'd never see you again. Are you two okay?"

"Yeah. We're okay. Fareeha managed to keep me going." Angela relied, gaining a small smile from Fareeha.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get to you two sooner..."

"Don't worry Lena. You're here now and that's all that matters." Lena couldn't help but let out a few tears. She'd found them. After everything they'd been through, they were still the same people she knew.

"So, do I get a hug?" Fareeha joked, causing Lena to turn her head towards her.

"No, sorry all hugs gone." She playfully said, before running over and hugging her. A few moments later, her attention focused on Widow, who had now stood up from the sofa and seemed ready to defend herself at any moment.

Lena let Fareeha go, walking towards Widow and keeping her hands in view of her. For a while, the two arch rivals stared down one another, neither making a move. It was Widow who finally broke the silence.

"What are you doing here?"

"I want to help you."

Widow scoffed at Lena's statement. "You hate me. We've battled so many times and nearly killed each other more times than I can count. Why would you want to help me?"

"I'm sorry... If I knew then what I know now, I would have tried so much harder to help. I let my own feelings get in the way and I didn't stop and think. You may of killed Mondatta, but you didn't have a choice. I'm pretty sure he'd want me to forgive you and help you."

Widow relaxed slightly but didn't let her guard down entirely. Lena was also slightly more relaxed but still was ready to blink out of the way if Widow launched any kind of attack.

"Overwatch don't want to help me." Widow said, after another short silence. "They want me dead."

"That's not true. We thought you were lost, beyond our help. No one knew what to do to try and help. Give us a chance to make amends."

Widow lowered her head, simply thinking everything over. She didn't know what to make of this. "You've always been my enemy, all of Overwatch have... Can I really trust you after everything that's happened?"

"Yes, you can trust me. If Ang thinks there's a way to help you, then I'll be right there ready to do just that and I'll make sure everyone else understands." Lena stepped forward, holding out her hand. "Please, let me help you."

Widow looked up, seeing Lena with her hand extended to her. She was giving Widow a smile, one that she knew could be trusted. Widow briefly looked over to Sombra, seeing her give a small nod. Widow finally looked back to Lena, extending out her own arm and shaking Lena's hand. "Okay... I'll let you help."

Lena responded by pulling Widow towards her and hugging her, which made her roll her eyes. "Is she always like this?" She asked sarcastically.

"You get used to it." Angela commented, aiming her healing staff at Fareeha and activating it. Within a few moments, any reminder of her time at Talon was gone.

"Thanks." Fareeha said, running a hand over one of her arms, where a large scar used to be. Angela gave her a subtle seductive wink, making sure that Lena didn't see. After all, they did agree not to tell her just yet.

"So, did you make any progress?" Sombra asked, as she leaned against the now closed door.

"I think I've worked out what happened to Amelie. You might want to sit down."

Lena turned to Angela, slightly confused, while Widow walked back to the sofa and sat down, Angela soon sitting on the chair in front of her. Everyone else simply stood and waited for the explanation that would follow.

"Talon did condition you after you returned to them." Angela began, as she placed her staff down on the floor. "However, they didn't realise why it was so easy to make you work for them. The reason that you seem to have amnesia is because you do have it. You suffered it when you returned to Talon."

"Wait." Lena interrupted, not fully understanding. "If she had amnesia, wouldn't she have remembered by now?"

"She already did. Talon recorded an incident when Amelie went on a killing spree at one of their bases. However, she soon forgot everything again. Talon's conditioning has simply stopped her remembering, similar to how a wall keeps the rain out. The wall has now begun to crumble and her amnesia is lifting."

"Hang on a moment." Sombra now interrupted. "How on earth did Widow lose her memories if Talon never touched her. You have to hit your head to lose your memories right?"

"Amelie didn't suffer traditional amnesia. She was made to kill Gerard against her will and Amelie couldn't live with what she did, so she forgot everything. I think you suffered something called Dissociative fugue, or a Fugue state, where the mind just runs away because it can't bare to look back. You wanted to become someone else, because Amelie Lacroix had lost so much. All Talon did in the end was give you what you wanted... a new life."

Widow couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I chose to become this?"

"No." Angela quickly said, taking Widow's hands in her own. "A Fugue can be caused by a traumatic event. That's what I think happened. You couldn't live with what Talon made you to do, so you chose to forget everything because you didn't want to accept it. Stick Talon's conditioning on top and the Fugue stayed in place for years... until you broke the conditioning."

Sombra had now sat next to Widow, wrapping an arm around her in order to comfort her. Both Lena and Fareeha understood what Angela was saying and they completely agreed with her reasoning. They both knew they'd never be able to live with themselves if they were made to kill the one they loved.

Widow suddenly had a wave of pain hit her head. Memories of her time at Talon began to reapear. All they did was confirm to her that Angela was right. "I think you're right. I remember... I couldn't live with myself... so I chose to forget everything so I could move on. So what now?"

"You will begin to remember more and more as time goes on. Eventually, you'll remember everything about your old life." Angela looked away slightly, clearly saddened by the situation. However, Widow could tell there was something else.

"There's more isn't there?"

Angela once again took ahold of Widow's hands. "I'm sorry Amelie... really I am... but eventually you're going to remember that night... and it's going to break your heart."

"When will it happen?"

"I don't know. It could be in ten minutes time... or ten weeks time. Either way, I don't want you to be alone when you remember. You need someone there for you."

Widow simply nodded, having no idea what to say. This was a feeling shared by everyone else, as the entire room was silent. Eventually, it was Widow who broke the silence.

"I don't really know how to feel right now... I've never had any real emotions for a long time now. However, thank you, all of you, for being here for me."

Sombra brought Widow closer to her. "Hey, don't worry. We're all here to help."

Widow gave her a small smile. "So what now? I guess you want to take me back to your base?"

"At some point I'd like to, but we'll talk about that later. Right now though, I think it would be best if you returned to some sort of normality." Angela explained. "Have a few days here and treat it like a holiday. That way, it'll allow your memories to return more naturally."

Widow nodded once again. "Is there anything else we need to talk about today?"

"No, I think were done for today. Just take it easy, I know that was a lot to take in. We'll talk again whenever you feel up to it."

With that everyone began to go off and do their own thing. Angela made one final check to make sure Widow was okay, before she walked onto the balcony for some air. Fareeha soon joined her, while Sombra turned on the tv. Widow stayed where she was, simply thinking over everything that she'd been told.

Lena took this opportunity to call Emily, walking into the nearest room and closing the door as she made the call.

"Hey Lena. You okay?"

"I found them Em. I found Ang and Fareeha."

"Are they okay?"

"Yeah, they're okay. Look, everything's a bit complicated so I can't really explain what's going on. I just wanted to let you know what was happening so I didn't worry you and to make sure you were okay."

"Aww. Nice to see you still worry about me." Emily joked, lightening the mood now that Angela and Fareeha were safe.

"I'll never stop worrying about you luv. I'll be back as soon as I can. Love you."

"Take as long as you need. I'll be here waiting for you. Love you too Lena."

The two women blew each other a kiss before they ended the call. Lena was glad that her girlfriend was so understanding because she knew this whole situation was about to get a lot more complicated.

 _Authors note_

 _Well this chapter took a bit longer to get out than I wanted..._ _Anyways, here it is, hope everyone liked it. I have a pretty good idea of the structure and content for the next few chapters, so hopefully they won't take as long to write as this one did._

 _So hope you enjoyed the story so far and see you in the next chapter :)_


	13. Dream of a Normal Life

**Dream of a Normal Life**

Sombra's villa- 10:35, The next day

Lena was quickly woken up, the sound of her phone going off disturbing her sleep. After Angela had told everyone what she thought had happened to Widow, nothing else had really happened. Sombra had ended up making dinner, since Widow was lost in her own thoughts. After that, everyone had turned in for the night, Lena taking the sofa since there were no more beds left in the building.

She didn't really mind this however. After all, she'd been in worse places than this. She had to admit that Sombra had a good place here, with its own outside pool and garden, as well as a lot of privacy thanks to the large bushes and trees at the front. It was very easy just to forget your troubles and simply lose yourself to the surroundings. However, as she threw her jacket, that she was using as a makeshift blanket, off her and leaned for her phone, the message she'd received reminded Lena of the reason she was here.

 _Where are you Lena? What's going on?_

The message was from Winston. Lena had been so distracted when she found Angela and Fareeha that she'd completely forgotten to call Gibraltar and let everyone know she was alright. Truth be told, Lena didn't even know if she should say what was going on, since the situation with Widow was so sensitive.

With the message now rattling around in her mind, Lena got herself up from the sofa and walked over to the kitchen, looking in the fridge and various cupboards. She found many items of food inside them and she couldn't help but real off the things she saw that would make a great cooked breakfast. In the end, she couldn't resist the urge and took out the items that she needed.

A few minutes later, she had some bacon and sausages cooking and was in the process of cracking a few eggs when she heard someone moving about upstairs. She began a guessing game with herself as she wondered who it was. Whenever Angela visited her, she usually woke up when she smelt Lena cooking. On the other hand, Widow could just as easily be the one awake.

As Lena continued to cook, she eventually heard footsteps as someone walked down the stairs. Lena didn't turn around as the unknown person reached the bottom.

"Morning." Lena said, still not sure who was currently standing behind her.

"What are you making?"

Not exactly the reply Lena was expecting. At least she now knew it was Widow who was there.

"Full English breakfast. I didn't wake you did I?"

"Non. I was already up. I had a lot on my mind."

Lena turned around, intending to ask Widow what was up. Instead, she ended up going wide eyed at what she saw. Widow was wearing a blue bikini, with high healed sandals and a pair of sunglasses, which were currently sitting on top of her head.

"Wow. You look hot."

"Thanks... I think."

Lena was sure she saw Widow blush slightly. "So, is everything okay?"

"I keep remembering things... only small things though."

"That's good." Lena said, as she turned back around and continued cooking. "That means you're recovering."

A few moments later, Widow walked over to Lena and stood next to her. "You want a hand?"

Lena couldn't help but smile at the offer. "Can you keep an eye on what's already cooking? I'll get the next bits started."

The two of them worked really well in the kitchen. Widow kept the bacon and sausages from burning, while Lena opened a can of beans and began to fry some mushrooms and tomatoes. It wasn't something Lena expected from Widow, yet she didn't mind. Since she usually ended up cooking with Emily, an extra pair of hands in the kitchen was always appreciated.

"This isn't exactly how I thought things would be." Lena commented, as she watched Widow tend to the cooking food.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we've been trying to kill each other for quite a while now. Yet here we are, cooking breakfast together like we're good friends. The world moves in mysterious ways doesn't it."

Widow chuckled. "Indeed it does."

After a short time, the food was ready and Lena separated it into two portions. The two women sat down at the nearby table and Lena blinked back to the kitchen to find the ketchup. Widow was the first to try the food, as Lena waited for a sign of approval.

"Yes, it's pretty good." Widow said, realising that Lena was waiting for a comment.

"See, I'm not all cheeky smiles and smart comments." Lena joked, as the two of them dug into their breakfasts.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, both wondering what to say to the other. It was Lena that broke the silence between them.

"I know I've already said this once, but I really am sorry I never tried to help you before. If I knew all you needed was a kick in the head I would've done it long ago."

"With all the times we've ended up fighting, I'm surprised you didn't cause this sooner." Widow joked, pointing to her head as she did.

Lena couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, fair point. Just remember that I'm here if you need to talk to someone. While I don't know what exactly you're going through, I know what it's like to feel alone."

"Thank you Lena."

Lena knew that she was making progress. If Widow was calling her by her name instead of her callsign, it meant that she was beginning to warm up to her. At least, she hoped that she was.

As the two finished off their breakfasts, the door to Sombra's room opened and she stepped out. She didn't get more than a few steps before she stopped, surprised at what she saw.

"Um... what are you wearing?" She asked Widow.

"What? You packed it for me." Widow replied, as Lena began to smirk.

"Wait. You packed her that bikini?"

"Yeah. I put it in more as a joke. I never expected her to actually wear it."

Lena raised an eyebrow. "A joke? Of course you did, I believe you."

Widow had caught onto what Lena was doing and decided to join in.

"You know, if you wanted to see me in this, you could of just asked Sombra. I know I'm very difficult to resist at times."

Widow gave Sombra a wink, which simply made her go red. As she tried to hide her discomfort, Lena and widow couldn't help but laugh.

"Relax, we're only messing with ya."

Sombra shook her head, as she sat down at the table. "You're both unbelievable. I'm guessing you're planning to sit outside today?"

"Oui. I'm doing what Angela told me, treating this like a holiday. Maybe she's right and it'll help." Widow made sure that she used Angela's name instead of her callsign, hoping that it also helped with her recovery.

"It's a good idea." Sombra admitted.

Widow reached for her sunglasses, placing them on properly before standing. "I'll be outside if anyone needs me."

Once Widow had left the villa, Lena leaned in closer to Sombra. "So what was the real reason you got her that bikini?"

"Oh please stop."

Lena let out a short giggle, before she stood to clear the plates from the table. She offered to make Sombra something but she declined, wanting to have something simple such as a bowl of cereal today. A short time later, Angela and Fareeha emerged from upstairs and Lena couldn't help but notice that they seemed a little closer than usual.

"Morning you two. Sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you Lena." Angela replied. "Where's Amelie?"

"She's outside." Sombra answered, pointing towards the pool. "She took your advice literally and is treating this like a holiday."

"Good. Hopefully it will help her relax a bit. The more relaxed she is, the more naturally her memories should return. At least I hope that's the case."

Lena now took out her phone. "Ang, I need a word."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just... I kinda forgot to tell everyone back at base that I found you."

"How did you forget to do that?" Fareeha asked, folding her arms in a disapproving manner.

"I just got a bit distracted. With everything that's going on with Widow, along with the fact I just found the two of you, it honestly just slipped my mind."

Angela rolled her eyes, smiling at her friends forgetfulness. "So what's the issue? I'm sure everyone will want to know we're okay."

"Yeah I'm sure they will. It's just... what do I say about all of this? It's a complicated issue and since I don't know what they're all thinking, I don't really want to say. On the other hand, everyone is aware that Sombra and Widow have gone rogue."

"Wait." Sombra interrupted. "How do you know that?"

"Morrison and Ana told us, said it was an inside source that tipped them off. Though I have no idea who it is and if doesn't look like they'll be saying any time soon."

Sombra ran a hand through her hair. She didn't need to be told who the inside source was. Only Reyes knew Widow wasn't dead. Sure Talon would work it out eventually but they wouldn't have just yet. "Well, that changes things. Overwatch found out sooner than I expected. What now?"

Angela thought for a moment, considering their options. "We do need to tell everyone that we're okay. However, the situation with Amelie is a bit more... sensitive. I don't want to just drop it on her that all of Overwatch knows and as Lena said, I don't know how everyone will react. What do you think?"

Angela's question was directed at Sombra, who leaned back and thought over everything. Overwatch could help Widow far better than she could and they could keep her safe from Talon.

"Can we not tell Widow just yet. She seems to be alright with the idea of you three helping from what I've seen. However, I don't know how she'll react to the idea of being taken to your base. You need to convince her that it'll be for her benefit and that she won't be a prisoner. I assume you want to take her to your base?"

Angela nodded. "I would like to at some point. While it definitely is a good idea letting her be here for a day or two, I can't see what Talon's done to her physically. I need my equipment back at base in order to do that. However, since it's such a sensitive matter, I'll keep any details I tell them as low detailed as possible. That'll hopefully help keep Amelie calmer."

"So call base and let them know we're okay and let Ang explain the Widow situation if she thinks it'll help." Lena said, understanding the reasoning behind the decision. "What about convincing Widow to come with us?"

Sombra thought for a few more moments. "I actually think you should try to convince her."

"What? Me? Why me? All three of you have been here longer than I have." Lena replied, confused at why Sombra suggested her of all people.

Sombra leaned forward, looking straight towards Lena as she explained her reasoning. "Look, I've known Widow for a while now and I've not seen her that relaxed with another person before. She doesn't usually do jokes or go along with any, so seeing her act like that this morning was very different."

"Okay, but any of us could of done that. So why me?"

Sombra tried to think of how to better explain her thoughts. "The way you two were interacting with each other this morning, using each other to tease me. I've not seen that in Widow before. Angela is a great doc but she won't do anything that Widow doesn't want and I don't see her listening to Fareeha. She needs to be shown that Overwatch is there to help her. So you, an Overwatch agent that came to us, are in a very good position to try and convince her."

Lena still wasn't fully convinced, so Angela knelt down in front of her. "Lena, you're a symbol of Overwatch. You represent everything that we aim to be. People look up to you as a hero. So you need to be that hero for Amelie. She's broken and lost and she feels so alone... remind you of anyone?"

"Yeah... me after my accident."

"So you know how it feels to be isolated. You know better than any of us how that feels. That's why you're so cheerful and always see things in the best light. We need a bit of that right now to show Amelie that we're truly here to help her. If she's responding the way Sombra says she is, then there's something that's making her feel comfortable around you. Maybe it's just her conditioning failing or maybe there's a reason we don't know. Whatever the reason, I think you're the best person to convince her to come with us."

Lena nodded, as Angela gave her a large comforting smile, one she could never say no to. "Okay. I'll try. I just hope you're right."

Watchpoint Gibraltar

Winston stood over his computer as Morrison paced back and forth behind him. Ana was leaning against the window watching him, while occasionally glancing down at the area below. Everyone at the base was on edge, all of them were left in the dark, waiting for Lena to call and tell them something.

"Jack please, you're making me nervous." Ana said, seeing that Jack's movements were starting to frustrate Winston. "Well, more nervous."

"Sorry. I just hate being left in the dark like this." Morrison replied, walking over to Winston and watching what he was doing.

"Lena wouldn't keep something like this a secret unless she had a reason." Winston said, noticing the sudden presence of Morrison over his shoulder.

"I hope she knows what she's doing."

"I'm sure she does Jack. She doesn't just run into situations without thinking." Morrison simply looked towards Winston, his thoughts clear without needing to say a single word. "Okay, she usually doesn't."

"Winston. There is an incoming call from Tracer." Athena announced, gaining the attention of the three people present, as well as those which were currently down below in the lab.

"Put her through Athena."

The view on Winston's computer changed to a picture of Lena, signalling that the call was connected.

"Lena, what's happening? Are you alright?"

"Calm down Winston. I'm fine, don't worry. Though I do have someone who wants to speak to you."

Everyone held their breath as Lena gave the phone to someone else. McCree has now walked to the door of Winston's office, wanting to know how Lena was doing. Those down below couldn't hear what was being said, so McCree has decided to get them the answers they all needed.

"So. Did you all miss me?"

"Angela! Thank goodness you're okay." Winston replied, seeing some of the tension in the room drop. One person still wasn't satisfied though and had to speak up.

"Angela. Tell me my daughter is okay."

"Don't worry Ana." Angela replied, already aware that she was at the base thanks to Lena. "Fareeha is okay and she's doing well."

Ana let out a long breath, as well as muttering something in Arabic. Even though they couldn't understand her, everyone knew she was relieved at the news. McCree didn't need to wait any longer and took off back towards the other agents. There was soon a cheer from below, most notably Reinhardt and the news quickly spread, so that everyone at the base knew.

"Winston. I need you to set up the medical wing and prepare it for a patient." Angela instructed, after hearing the loud cheer from Reinhardt.

"How come?"

"It's... a sensitive matter."

Ana walked towards Winston, picking up an earpiece and signaling him to transfer the audio to it. Morrison and Winston had a suspicion what Angela meant, but they both knew that Ana was likely the best suited at handling it. They both left for a brief moment, leaving Ana as the only one who would know the details of the next conversation.

"It's only me Angela, no one else can hear you. It's Amelie, isn't it?"

Angela didn't reply for a moment, clearly conferring with another person if it was alright to say. Finally, she answered. "Yes. It's Amelie."

Nothing more needed to be said. "Okay. I'll make sure Winston sets up the equipment you need. One more thing though. Can I speak to Fareeha."

The phone changed hands once again and Fareeha now spoke. "Hey mum."

"Fareeha. I thought I'd lost you. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm okay... I've never seen you speak the way you did to Talon before. It honestly scared me a little."

"If it scared you, imagine how Talon felt." Ana said, lightening the mood ever so slightly.

Fareeha chuckled. "Yeah, they did seem a little on edge afterwards. I'm sorry mum..."

"Don't be sorry. You couldn't have known what they were planning or prevented it. I'm just glad that you're okay... I love you faree. Just... be careful okay."

"I love you too mum and I promise I will."

The phone call ended soon afterwards and Ana placed the earpiece back where she found it. She walked out of the office and towards Winston. Morrison was down in the main lab, explaining what they knew to all the agents present. Winston, who was standing near the steps, noticed Ana approaching and turned to her.

Ana whispered to Winston, explaining the situation as quietly as possible. Ana knew he'd keep everything quiet, so she wasn't worried about telling him. Winston simply nodded afterwards, walking off towards the medical wing and preparing it for Angela.

Nevada- United States- 25 miles southwest of Las Vegas

Captain Jameson, along with his six man squad, were currently on their way to the suspected Talon base. They had been instructed to meet up with a team of Navy Seals and assault the suspected base for any intel they could.

"Why did we get sent halfway around the globe again sir?" One of the SAS troopers asked. "Surely the Americans could have dealt with this themselves?"

"I'm sure they could. However, both us and the Americans believe that the contents of the cargo ship were meant for this place. Since we're the team that took the cargo ship, both sides believe it's a good idea we're here." Ross explained.

"Makes sense to me." Buck said, readying his shotgun. "We get the intel as soon as possible and we get to kill more of Talon. Seems like a win win situation."

The dropship reached the landing zone a short time later, opening its doors and allowing the team out. It was a short hike to the suspected base, since they didn't want to alert Talon that they were coming. Fortunately, it was the middle of the night, so the temperature wasn't unbearable.

Once the team reached the rendezvous location, they found six Navy Seals, lying in wait. Jameson located the Navy Seal squad leader, lying next to a sniper, who was aiming at a small building.

"Captain Jameson I presume?"

"Yep. What are we looking at?"

The Navy Seal commander stood up. "Command believes that there's an entire base hidden underneath that building."

Jameson tapped the snipers shoulder, who moved to one side and let him look through the scope. "Looks like a normal roadside shop. Have you sent anyone to recon the area?"

"The CIA did earlier. The agent thought that it's nothing more than a cover. They reported a large metal door at the back of the shop which they suspect is the way inside the base."

"Bit small for a main entrance to a major Talon base isn't it?" Jameson noted, expecting something a bit bigger.

"We suspect that this is one of a few entrances. There's a few other buildings around the area which are a little too conveniently placed to be a coincidence."

Jameson nodded, as he saw someone step outside the shop. They reached in their pocket for a pack of cigarettes, taking one out and lighting it. As Jameson watched the unknown person, the Seals radio came to life.

"Ground team, you have an unknown aircraft incoming to your position."

"Everyone down now." The Seal commander ordered. A few seconds later, a dropship flew straight over them. Ross remained where he was, watching the unknown person and their reaction, or lack of one. He spoke up once the dropship had passed over them.

"The guy down there didn't even react to that. Either he knew it was coming or it happens too frequently for him to be bothered by it. How often do you lot fly over this way?" Ross asked, giving the sniper his rifle back.

"Not often enough." The Seal commander replied. "Command, everyone here's ready to go. Are we clear to move in?"

"Standby." There's was a short silence before a reply came. "Roger that, you're clear to move in."

"Understood. Okay everyone, move out."

"We'll take the front door." Jameson said.

"Acknowledged. We'll go through the back on your signal." The Seal commander replied.

The two teams moved towards the building, keeping themselves as hidden as possible. The individual who was smoking finished and walked back inside long before the troopers were close enough to be spotted.

Soon, the front and back of the building were covered and Jameson glanced inside.

"Three inside. Non leathal takedowns until we're certain it's Talon."

"Understood. Ready on your mark."

Jameson opened the door slightly, giving enough room for a flashbang to be thrown through.

"Three. Two. One. Go."

The occupants inside were unprepared, as the flashbang was thrown in and they were all left blinded. The next sight they saw was a group of heavily armed soldiers aiming their weapons at them. They didn't put up a fight and were soon on the floor, with their hands on their heads.

While a few troopers checked the occupants over, the rest of the soldiers checked around the building. It did infact look like a normal roadside store, with all kinds of items being sold. However, everyone knew that something wasn't quite right. The large metal door that Jameson was approaching only helped add to that idea.

Jameson, along with another SAS trooper, opened the metal door, walking inside the room behind it with their weapons raised. They soon lowered them however, being met with nothing more than a brick wall.

"There's nothing in here." Jameson announced. "Well, nothing except a few boxes of snacks it seems."

Buck meanwhile was behind the counter and had noticed a very suspicious button that the occupants had attempted to hide. Upon pushing it, both Jameson and the trooper with him turned around, aiming their weapons up again.

"I withdraw my previous comment. I think we've found the entrance."

Everyone grouped up at the mysterious doorway that was now revealed, apart from two troopers which stayed behind to guard the area. The entrance was a set of stairs, that lead down to what everyone guessed was the base.

Once all the troopers were present, Jameson signalled everyone to move forward, progressing slowly into the base. Once they were a short distance inside, they came face to face with a large Talon logo.

"Well, guess this is a Talon base."

"What gave it away?" Buck joked, checking around in case any Talon forces saw them. Oddly enough, there weren't any guards stationed nearby, something that made everyone a little nervous.

"Command, Talon presence confirmed."

"Roger that. You're clear to engage any hostile forces."

"Understood." Everyone knew why they were here. Once the Talon presence was confirmed, they were to move into the base and extract any intel they could. "We know what to do. Move in and try to find the command centre. Keep a low profile for as long as possible but engage hostile forces where we need to."

All the troopers nodded, readying their weapons for a fight. As they moved deeper into the base however, they all realised that there was a distinct lack of enemy forces. In fact, after five minutes of walking through the base, Buck was almost happy to see two Talon soldiers on guard duty. They were taken out silently and the team moved on.

"Not that I'm arguing but where are all the Talon soldiers?" Buck asked. "For a base such as this, it's rather undefended don't you think?"

"I know what you mean." Jameson said, stopping everyone as he checked a corner but signaled to move on when he saw no one there. "This isn't right. The cargo ship had way more security than this. Where the hell is everyone?"

It wasn't long before they found the command centre, which actually had some troopers guarding it. Even then, it was only a handful of soldiers, which were dispatched with ease. Once the team moved into the command centre, they found a few people sitting at the controls for the base, which were quickly forced to surrender. Once again though, the command centre was way too understaffed.

"Okay, this is ridiculous, where the bloody hell is everyone? Either everyone went out on a break at exactly the same time, or Talon's up to something." Buck said, with some of the other troopers agreeing with his viewpoint.

"Check the computers." Jameson ordered, as he attached a device into one and began to download the contents of the hard drive. He also managed to locate the bases camera systems and took a look around the base. This only confirmed what they already guessed, that the base was way too undefended.

"There's hardly anyone here. What on earth is going on?" Jameson suddenly noticed something on the cameras, or rather someone. It was Symmetra, tied up and left lying on the floor to a cell. This area had the most security in the entire base, however, it was mostly automated defences, something that a few button presses would fix.

"Found something. That woman is Satya Vaswani. She was at the Vishkar headquarters when it was attacked."

Buck walked over to the computer Jameson was looking at, seeing the state she was in. "She's in a bad way. We need to get down there and get her out."

"Sir!" One of the SAS troopers called out. "There's something on this computer about a planned attack on the US."

"Any details?" The Seal commander asked.

"Negative. It seems like the location was to be finalised by someone else. However, judging by what it says, it's planned to be soon."

"That would explain why the base is so empty. Everyone must be moving towards that target." Buck concluded, Jameson nodding in agreement.

"Take your team and get that prisoner out." The Seal commander said to Jameson. "The rest of us will stay here and extract the intel."

Jameson took the device that had copied the hardrive before signalled his team to follow him. Within moments, they were sprinting towards the holding cells. The guards saw them coming, however since the automated defences were now offline, they stood no chance due to their lower numbers. Once they were at Satya's cell, they forced open the door and ran inside.

Buck kneeled down next to her and untied her. There was a large amount of blood on the floor and she was covered in cuts and brusies.

"She needs medical attention ASAP!"

Ross activated his comm. "This is Jameson, I need medical evac here for a civilian, double time!"

"Understood Captain. It's on its way."

As they attempted to lift her, Satya blinked a few times, realising that these people were not Talon. She weakly managed to say a few words. "It's... it's a trap. Bomb in the... command centre."

Before Jameson could register what Satya said, the Seal commander contacted him.

"I think we've found something. There's a file with a list of targets in the US on here."

"WAIT! DON'T OPEN IT!"

It was too late. The command centre went up in a ball of flames, killing everyone inside. The entire base shook and the lighting went out, the emergency lighting coming on a few seconds later. It all made sense now, why the base was so lightly defended. It was nothing more than a trap. Thankfully, Jameson and his team weren't in the command centre, otherwise this would have all been for nothing.

"BOLLOCKS!" Buck shouted. "No wonder no one was here, they wanted us to be caught in that thing. Those files better give us something, this just got personal."

"Command, this is Jameson." He began, checking that everyone was alright. "It was a trap, multiple friendlies KIA. I need that evac now!"

"Understood. Friendly forces are moving in to secure the area."

Sombra's villa- Crete, Greece- 3:15

The day had once again been rather uneventful. Widow had remained outside, sunbathing and occasionally swimming in the pool. Sombra had been searching through the files she had from Talon, seeing if any of them told her more about Widow or anymore about Talon's plans. She never did find anything of interest and so decided to watch tv for the rest of the day.

Angela had sat and studied Widow's medical files once again, this time going over the physical enhancements she'd received. Fareeha had also helped her with this task, sitting and reading through the files with her. Lena meanwhile had spent the day trying to work out what to say to Widow and she still had little clue what to actually say.

They all met up again at lunch, Widow making them all a fruit salad and opening a bottle of red wine that she'd bought a few days ago. No one really questioned why Widow kept making food for everyone, not even Widow herself. With everything that she now knew, Widow simply assumed that it was a part of Amelie that had stuck with her, even after all she'd been through.

After lunch, Widow went back to what she was doing, sitting outside and doing nothing. As Widow stepped outside, Sombra opened her computer and checked the time, noticing that there was a message that had recently been received. No one was looking, so she opened it and read the very short sentence.

 _We need to talk. Contact me soon._

There was only one person that could be. Sombra closed the message, making sure no one else had read it. "Hey, I need to go out for a bit."

"How come?" Angela asked, wondering what Sombra could possibly need now.

"One of my sources has found something and I really need to talk to them. Even though I can hide my location, I'd rather not do it here, just in case."

"Couldn't it wait? Widow might need you." Lena asked.

"Not really. It's urgent."

"Well, I don't have a problem with it. As long as everyone else is okay with it." Angela said, with both Fareeha and Lena agreeing with her.

Sombra reached for her jacket, which she left on a nearby chair and began to head towards the town. She made sure to pass by Widow, wanting to explain the situation to her.

"Widow, I need to run into town. Gabe wants to talk to me and I don't want to answer any messages here, just in case someone tracks it."

"What about?" Widow asked, lifting her sunglasses up and turning her head to the left, so that she was facing Sombra.

"I don't know. Whatever it is, it must be important."

Widow lowered her sunglasses, placing them back on. "Okay. Just don't be long."

"Oh, you worried about me?"

"Not at all. It's just you get easily distracted on your own and I'd rather have dinner at a reasonable time."

"I don't get easily distracted." Sombra playfully returned, knowing that Widow was only joking.

"China."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault that there was an old Overwatch base near the landing zone. How about I bring back a pizza this time?"

"Make it two."

Sombra chuckled. "Fine, two pizzas. Have fun relaxing."

Back inside the villa, Lena, Angela and Fareeha were discussing the situation.

"So, how bad is it?" Lena asked, pointing towards the phone that Angela was reading Widow's medical files from.

"From what I've read so far, there's a lot of tech that's been implanted inside her. It's keeping her heart rate and body temperature low as well as numerous other things."

"Is it reversible?" Fareeha asked.

"I still need to scan her and see what exactly they've put inside her and where. However, I think I can undo a lot of what's happened to her. I just need her to agree to it..."

Lena looked outside, seeing that Widow was now alone. "I guess it's time to have a word with her. Hopefully she listens."

As Lena left, Angela looked over and noticed the piano, that was sitting in the corner of the room. She'd noticed it when she arrived but never really paid any attention to it. Now that she was done reading for today, she couldn't resist the urge she had to play it.

Fareeha wondered where Angela was going, as she headed towards the piano. It was when Angela sat down that it finally dawned on her.

"You play the piano?" She asked, slightly surprised.

"Yeah. It's not something I show off. Only Lena and Genji know."

Angela began to play a few notes, bringing a smile to her face. While she played, Fareeha walked over and sat down next to her, simply listening to the music.

"When did you learn to play?" Fareeha asked, once Angela stopped playing for a moment.

"My parents payed for lessons when I was a kid. I always enjoyed listening to them as a kid, so my dad thought that I should learn to play one. I really enjoyed learning and mum and dad loved listening to me play, even bought me a keyboard so that I could anytime I wanted. I never could bring myself to keep at it after the Omnic crisis... after I lost them. It just brought back too many memories. That was until a few months ago.

"So what changed?" Fareeha asked, genuinely interested in the story.

"Genji and Lena actually. The three of us were heading back to Gibraltar after a mission. Lena had bought herself a keyboard, said it was a gift for Emily. I don't know why but I just started playing. When they both asked about it, I told them why I didn't really play anymore. They both told me that I was really good and that I should keep playing. So I did. Lena even got me to play that exact same keyboard when I visited her and Emily once."

Angela had a few tears in her eyes, remembering her childhood before the crisis. It wasn't something she spoke about often and she only spoke about it to people who she really trusted. She wiped them away, smiling at the memories that she had. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay Ang. They're right though. You're really good."

"Thanks." Angela gave Fareeha a small kiss on her cheek, before having an idea. "Play something with me."

"I don't think I'll be any good. I don't know how to play." Fareeha warned her.

"Then I'll show you. I know the perfect song."

Fareeha couldn't resist the smile that Angela gave her. "Okay then. Let's play something."

Meanwhile, near the pool, Lena had approached Widow, hoping that she'd listen to what she had to say.

"Hey, can I have a word?"

Widow moved her head slightly, lifting her sunglasses off her eyes to signal that she was listening. "Sure. Nothing bad I hope."

"No, nothing bad. I just want to talk."

Lena found a chair that was sitting outside and carried it over to Widow, who sat up to face Lena.

"Can I ask you something?" Lena said, still a little unsure how to approach this situation.

"Of course." Widow replied.

Lena breathed in, deciding that honesty was the best course of action here. "Okay, I want your honest answer here. How do you feel about going to the Overwatch base?"

Widow thought for a moment. "It's not something I'd be overly keen on doing. I think there's a lot of people who wouldn't be too keen on me being there. Why do you ask?"

"Well, Ang has been reading through your files..."

"And..?"

"She thinks that she can undo some of what they've done. However, she can't be sure or start helping unless she can get to her equipment at our base."

"Why can't she bring it here?" Widow asked, feeing herself become slightly nervous at the idea of being taken to the Overwatch base.

"It's too big and would take too long to set up properly." Lena could see that Widow was nervous, so took her hands in her own. "Luv, why are you so worried about coming to our base?"

Widow stood up, walking away slightly. "I've done so much against you. I've killed politicians, important figures and Overwatch agents without a second thought. I killed my own husband without even thinking about it, I just did it. Even without the memory, I feel his blood on my hands. If I can't forgive myself, why would they?"

"Because that wasn't you. I looked into your eyes on the night you killed Mondatta. When I look into them now, I see a complete different person. You're a victim, forced to do their dirty work. They were nothing more than cowards for coming after you."

Widow didn't turn around, remaining completely still. "There's something else isn't there?" Lena asked, which was met with a small nod from widow. "Luv, I'm here to help. Please, just be honest with me."

After a tense few moments, Widow finally turned around. "Honestly, I'm scared Lena. I'm terrified that I'm going to lose myself again. I'm terrified of remembering that night, the night when my entire life ended. I... I don't know if I can forgive myself for what I've done, all the lives I've taken. All I wanted was a normal life... instead I got this. I don't even know who I am anymore."

Widow was now tearing up, full of emotion and guilt. Before she could continue, Lena walked to her and pulled her into a hug. "Hey, it's okay to be scared. That's what makes us human."

"Am I though? Am I truly human anymore?"

Lena looked straight into Widow's eyes. "Of course you are. I know how you feel right now. You feel alone, with no one that you can turn to because you think no one else understands what your going through."

Widow just nodded.

"When I had my accident, when I became who I am now, I felt the same way, alone with no one to talk to. It was by letting people in and letting them help that I recovered. Please, let us help you Amelie. I know I don't understand everything that you're going through right now but I'm here for you, we all are. None of this is your fault. Please, let me in."

Widow thought over everything. "Okay. I'll do it."

"Really?"

"Oui. I'll go to your base. I'm still worried though."

Lena hugged Widow once again. "Don't worry. I'll look after you."

Widow started to feel a lot safer. Something about the way Lena spoke made her feel like she could trust her, in the same way as Sombra. While they were hugging, Widow heard a piano playing from inside the villa.

"Is someone playing that piano?"

Lena guessed immediately who it was. "I think it's Ang. I know she can play and I recognise that song."

Both Lena and Widow walked inside the villa, making sure they were very quiet and looked over to the piano. Sure enough, Angela was sat playing. However, Lena wasn't expecting Fareeha to also be there, playing along with her.

Lena knew the piece Angela was playing. It was one she'd asked her to play when she visited the one time. She was glad to see the two friends playing together. Even Widow seemed to be enjoying the calming tune that the two women were playing. What neither of them expected was what happened next.

After a few minutes of playing together, the song ended and Angela and Fareeha turned to each other. They both clearly hadn't seen the small audience they'd gained, as they leaned in and kissed.

"I love you Faree."

"I love you too Ang."

"Oh. My. God!" Both Angela and Fareeha turned around, suddenly realising that they weren't alone. Lena had her hands over her mouth, gobsmacked at what she just saw. Widow on the other hand didn't seem to care as much but was still surprised, raising an eyebrow at the two.

"That was what, a day at most?" Fareeha joked to Angela.

"Pretty much. Can't keep anything from her."

They both stood up, feeling slightly embarrassed. Lena meanwhile blinked straight into them, bringing both woman into a joint hug.

"I'm so happy for you two. It's about time you got together."

Angela looked towards Fareeha again. "Well, with everything that's happened, I think we both realised how we really felt." She gave Fareeha a kiss on her cheek, before they both smiled at each other.

"And I just got myself twenty quid from McCree. Result!"

"Wait. What?" Angela looked straight at Lena.

"Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it luv."

"Lena, what have you been doing behind my back?"

Lena didn't bother trying to make an excuse up. "Okay. Maybe we all made bets on you getting together with someone. And maybe I put money on you and Fareeha. And maybe McCree now owes a lot of money to a lot of us."

Angela just shook her head. "You're all unbelievable, you know that?"

Lena giggled. "Yeah well, you'd never change us. It'd be too boring otherwise."

Angela chuckled. "Boring is certainly one word for it."


	14. Siege

**Siege**

 _Transmission to all Talon forces._

 _"The world changed after the Crisis. While it may have been a victory, every country realised that their best soldiers and weaponry weren't enough. It took the world creating Overwatch in order to bring the war to an end. What was the thanks they were given? They were shut down, told they weren't needed and that they would be arrested for ever helping again._ _The world took a step backwards that day_.

 _Humanity is always being tested. War is the crucible to which we evolve. Only through conflict will we evolve and become stronger than we ever could imagine. Yet the world has not risen up to the newest test. So we must make them all wake up and rise to the new challenge._

 _They may take our bases, yet we create new ones faster than they destroy them. Despite their best efforts, our true plan has not been halted or disrupted._ _Our next attack will not only cause chaos for the United States, but it will also make the world realise Talon's true power._

 _Each one of you are part of a greater plan to better our world, and once that goal has been completed, your names will be remembered. For all of those who fail to rise up, their names will be forgotten._

 _We will no longer hide away in the darkness. We will no longer be labelled nothing more than a terrorist organisation. Soon, Talon will become the catalyst for our species evolution. Then nothing will stand in our way. No country. No army. Not even Overwatch will have the power to stop us."_

50 minutes after transmission

"What's Talon planning Gabe? Where are they attacking?" Sombra asked, deeply troubled by what she just heard. She was quite a distance away from her villa and was currently hidden out of sight down a small alley. She had no idea where Reyes was currently. She just assumed that he was himself hidden out of sight, making sure Talon didn't find out about his true motives, whatever they may be.

"I don't know. I'm out of the loop since I've been too busy looking for you and Widow. Not that I'm making much progress. Apparently you're a little difficult to track down."

Sombra took that as a compliment. "I decide when I'm found Gabe. How close are Talon to finding out Widow's still alive?"

"Very close. Moira's the one looking at the bodies and she already suspects that Widow's gone rogue. At best we're looking at a few days before she confirms it."

"And at worst?"

"A few hours."

Sombra sighed. She knew this would happen. She just expected to have a little more time before it became a reality. There were many things that she still wanted to know, yet she knew Reyes didn't know the answers to most of her questions. In the end, she had to ask at least some.

"Gabe, can I ask you a few things?"

"Go ahead." Reaper's tone was different to what it normally was. Instead of being harsh and unforgiving, it sounded friendly, or at least as friendly as he could sound.

"You told Overwatch about Widow, didn't you?"

Reyes didn't try to hide the answer. "Yes I did. As much as I hate to admit it, they're likely in the best position to help her. She needs people who knew her before all of this."

"And what about me?"

"They know what you did. That should give you some options for what to do next."

Sombra smiled to herself. She couldn't really imagine herself working with Overwatch or if they'd even want her help. Then again, maybe it was time for her to change her lifestyle. She didn't agree with what Talon were doing and helping Widow actually felt... right. Maybe she should try and help Overwatch. In the end, she pushed the thought aside, deciding that it was something Widow and herself needed to discuss at a later date.

"And what about you? You never said why you were doing this or what happens afterwards."

Reaper didn't answer immediately and a long pause followed as he thought over the answer. It was only after Sombra pushed him again that he finally gave an answer.

"I made a promise a long time ago to get her back. Now that she's free, she has someone else to look out for her. As for what happens to me... we'll see. I have unfinished business at Talon."

"That sounds like you're saying goodbye."

"Frankly Sombra, I hope you never have to contact me again. That means Amelie's safe and out of danger. Is that the case?"

"I hope it is."

"Then record what I'm about to say."

Washington DC- 10:45am the next day

It was business as usual for the city. The sun shone down on the citizens and tourists, occasionally being hidden by one of the clouds in the sky. It wasn't enough to put anyone off visiting the various landmarks and tourists flocked to the area.

Groups of tourists took tours of the area, including some in the inside of the Capitol building and a select few inside the White House. Out of sight however, the President was sitting in the Oval Office, in the middle of an important phone call.

"How much did we learn from Nevada?" The President asked the head of the CIA, who was currently the person on the other end of the call.

"Not as much as we wanted. There's some details about an incoming attack somewhere in America, however we don't know where or when. The surviving British team from the base managed to extract a woman, linked to the attack on Vishkar. However she's in really bad shape and currently's unconscious. To be honest, we're not even sure if she'll survive."

"Damn it! We need to stop this attack before they get the chance to strike. Hundreds could be killed if we don't act!"

"I understand that sir but we don't have any concrete intel to go off. There's various high profile targets that could be attacked and various large profile events going on across the country. It's almost impossible to know where they'll strike."

The President sighed. "Did we manage to find out anything else?"

"No sir. Talon knew we'd found the base. They had someone on the inside and that's why the control centre was rigged to blow. We only got what they wanted us to know. I have all my people looking at this right now, trying to find out where Talon plans to strike."

What no one knew was that trouble was a lot closer than they thought. Inside the Capitol building, a tour group were passing through. They all passed through the security checks and every one of them was clean. However, no one had realised that two of the tourists, a middle aged man and woman that seemed to be a couple, were hiding something. They broke off from the group to go to the nearby toilet. Inside one of the cubicles, which was marked 'out of order,' they found two rucksacks, ready to be collected. Moments later, they left the toilet, joining back up with the tour group and continuing on.

No one caught on to what had just happened. No one questioned why the two had just appeared with two bags they didn't have before. There was many reasons for this. One was that all bags were checked multiple times and with multiple different methods before anyone could enter the building. Another was that the security was not watching the area and the two made sure to avoid any cameras. It was almost like someone had helped them along, someone with expert knowledge on how to avoid the security in the building.

It wasn't until ten minutes later that the couple split apart. They went to two specific points in the building and placed their bags on the floor, opening them. Inside were a large button and a timer, which both of them pressed. The timer suddenly sprung to life, counting down from thirty seconds.

"Excuse me sir. Everything alright?" One of the security guards had now noticed the odd behaviour and had moved over to investigate. The man simply reached back into his bag and removed a handgun, making sure that the guard didn't see it in time.

"Yes. Everything's fine." He quickly spun around and gunned down the guard. Tourists began to scream as a fight broke out between the guards and the couple, the woman also pulling out a handgun and joining with her partner. The fight was short lived, as the man and woman were gunned down in a matter of seconds. It was only then that the security realised what had been placed by them and they had no time left to react.

The Capitol building was suddenly engulfed in flames, as an explosion roared through the centre of the building. The explosion was powerful enough to be seen from a distance and people in view turned and stared in disbelief at what they were seeing. A massive part of the building collapsed soon after, no longer able to hold itself up due to the damage the explosion caused.

"What the hell was that?" The CIA director asked, hearing the loud explosion from the other end of the phone.

Without warning, numerous agents entered the Oval Office, including the security chief of the White House.

"Mr President, there's been an attack at the Capitol. I'm locking down the White House, we need to get you to the bunker."

The call was immediately ended, the security of the President now taking priority. Anyone not important was ordered to leave the building, leaving a small army of agents and police ready to fight.

The President was rushed through the White House, heading towards the location of the bunker while agents and armed guards surrounded him. Within minutes the President was inside the bunker and the door sealed. With his safety confirmed, the staff in the bunker began their reports.

"Sir, emergency services will arrive at the Capitol in two minutes. Military units are on standby, ready to respond if needed."

"How on earth did they get a bomb inside the Capitol?"

"Unknown sir. The situation is developing."

While civilians fled from the area, emergency services rushed towards the burning Capitol building, hoping to save any survivors. The defences in the area were also activated, making sure that no aircraft could get close to any of the key buildings. As the first response units arrived, it seemed that the worst was over.

Unfortunatly for the city, the attackers had other ideas. At one of the defence systems an army truck pulled up and a group of armed soldiers quickly disembarked. However, these were not American soldiers. Anyone nearby had a mere few seconds to look at the troopers before they opened fire and everything suddenly became clear. They were Talon.

One of the troopers was carrying a rocket launcher and fired at the defence system. As the rocket impacted, shards of metal flew away from the explosion, injuring those who were unfortunate enough to be nearby. This was replicated at several other sites, leaving a hole in the airspace that was now open for anyone to fly through. Talon dropships followed shortly after, landing near the damaged Capitol building, right next to a group of police. They had little time to react, some managing to jump behind their cars, while others fell victim to the overwhelming amount of firepower that came as the dropship doors opened.

The ships landed, unloading dozens of squads onto the streets. The nearby police could not hope to stop them and were soon the victims of a one sided battle. More officers appeared, along with numerous agents and armed security in the area. As the Talon soldiers clashed with the defenders, Doomfist emerged from one of the dropships. He didn't bother to take cover, instead walking in clear view as the enemy were forced to retreat, simply unable to deal with the numbers Talon had.

He smirked at the sight he saw. Talon had taken some losses, yet they were nothing compared to the losses that the Americans just took. Phase one of his plan had been an outstanding success. He walked over to a commander, who saluted as he reached him.

"Commander. Continue onto phase two."

"Yes sir!" The commander turned to the small army at his disposal. "Alright, we've broken through and used our element of suprise. Now push on towards the main target. MOVE!"

Everyone acknowledged the order, aiming their weapons and heading in the direction that the fleeing forces ran. Straight towards the White House. Before he followed, Doomfist looked towards the Washington monument, smirking once again.

"All ships, continue with the plan."

Any dropships that were on the ground took off, most falling back so that they weren't destroyed during the fight. However, a small group remained and one of them headed straight to the Washington monument. The pilot primed his weapons and two missiles were fired. For everyone in view, time almost slowed as the missiles flew towards their target, impacting near the base of the monument. It soon crumbled down, demoralising those who were defending the city and killing people who were in the way of the falling debris. Once the monument had fallen, an air raid siren began. The city was now a war zone.

"All forces, Talon are attacking the city. We are under attack! I say again, we are under attack! We need an immediate military response now!"

The chief of security looked at the screens in front of him, seeing the army of Talon soldiers approaching the building. Despite all the forces they had, he didn't like their chances.

"Mr President. I don't think we can hold the White House. They're very well equipped and Doomfist is with them." Everyone in the bunker turned to the chief. They hadn't even arrived and he was already admitting defeat.

The President meanwhile understood why he was thinking this and he honestly agreed with him. Talon possessed military grade equipement and had numbers far larger than expected. On top of that, they just tore through their defences without any trouble. "What do you think we should do?"

"We need to go to plan B."

Meanwhile, the Talon forces had arrived at their next target. The security had fallen back to the main building and snipers had been deployed to the roof. The fence was now the only thing between them and Talon. This offered very little resistance to the heavily equiped Talon forces, who used explosives to blow a large hole in it. They took losses while doing this and while they advanced through the hole. The snipers took shot after shot, only stopping briefly to reload, before continuing with their barrage.

Eventually, the Talon commander ordered his own snipers to return fire, resulting in a drawn out fight between them. Both sides lost troops, however, in the end, the snipers on the roof were forced to withdraw, as the fight had allowed the rest of Talon the chance to move forward.

With the snipers too occupied fighting each other, the Talon forces now had a new issue to overcome. Some troopers managed to reach the door, however, they could not get inside due to how well defended it was. Doomfist could likely break through the door in seconds, yet he was holding back, preferring the soldiers to give their lives over his. Even though he was wearing Talon armour to protect himself, he wasn't suicidal.

In the end, it took two of the dropships to make any significant progress. As two ships approached the area, the anti-air defences turned and engaged. Both ships launched as many missiles as they could before they were shot down. One ship managed to take out a SAM site on the roof, yet this was one of many and it wasn't enough to stop the ships being shot down.

The other ship aimed at the doors and the building itself. Sure enough, the missiles found their mark and the doors were blown to pieces. Several missiles also impacted the building, temporarily stopping those at the windows from fighting back due to the damage. This gave Talon the edge once again and allowed a greater number of troopers to reach the main door. Doomfist also took the opportunity to move up, following the commander into the White House.

With the main entrance compromised, the defending forces now had one single objective. Protect the President at all costs. They managed to delay the enemy for quite a while, however, they were all slowly pushed back further into the building. Even those at the windows now withdrew, having more enemies to deal with on the inside than the outside.

Talon split its forces up, each soldier following the orders they had been given. Take the White House. They certainly had the advantage in the fight. Most of the forces inside were either police or agents and they lacked the training or equipment possessed by a soldier. They did put up a very good fight and Talon were unable to push into certain areas due to how well fortified they actually were.

Doomfist meanwhile walked through the building, followed by his personal squad of highly trained soldiers. They cut down anyone in the way with ease and soon, they were near the entrance to the bunker. However, their easy advance was now halted, as a small group of agnts had moved to protect the bunker, armed with assault riffles and pistols. It was clearly a last ditch attempt to stop them.

As the two sides began fighting, Doomfist grew more impatient. He expected them to put up a fight, however he now just wanted to continue forward. As his elite squad lost a couple of troopers, Doomfist powered up his gauntlet and shot forward.

His sudden appearance caught the defenders by complete suprise and one agent was unfortunate enough to be in the way of the rocket punch. He was sent flying backwards, impacting the wall behind and killing him instantly. Doomfist turned to another two agents, using seismic slam to stun them, before firing his weapon twice, killing them both.

As Doomfist powered up another rocket punch, forcing the agents to try and take cover, the squad of Talon soldiers took the opportunity to move up, taking out some of the agents as they tried to avoid Doomfist. As another two agents fell against Doomfist, their were only three left to hold the line. One was killed almost instantly, being shot in the head by the Talon commander. The other two began to fire at Doomfist, trying to take him down before the inevitable happened.

They weren't able to fire for long, as Doomfist shot forward once again, hitting both of the agents with a single rocket punch. The two agents were sent flying backwards into the wall behind them, which just so happened to be the wall that hid the presidential bunker, causing it to fall apart as the agents flew through it.

While a few shots landed, Doomfist wasn't injured, thanks to his armour stopping the bullets. The agents meanwhile were in far worse condition. One was killed by the impact, while the other was left lying on the stairs down, crippled. As the Talon squad walked past, Doomfist didn't even acknowledge the wounded person below him. The commander on the other hand pulled out his pistol, firing at the agent as he walked past. Now only the door to the bunker was in their way.

"Maybe we should try knocking?" One Talon trooper joked.

"What a good idea."

Doomfist stepped towards the reinforced door, finding the perfect location to hit it. Once he found what he considered a weak point, he powered up a rocket punch and hit the door. The impact ripped it straight off the wall it was connected to and then made it crash into the wall behind it.

"That's disappointing. I thought that door was reinforced?" One Talon trooper commented.

"It was." Doomfist replied, stepping through the large hole and walking down the corridor, his squad not far behind.

As they walked the short distance, they noted how the fighting upstairs had faded. With no radio communication to say otherwise, this meant that Talon had all but won. There was little resistance left in front of them and Doomfist gripped the final door in his way, waiting for his squad to move into position.

Moments later, the door was ripped away and two flashbangs thrown inside the room. Those inside were left blinded as Talon rushed inside and fired. It was a slaughter, with everyone inside being killed apart from one person. Doomfist fired at his legs, incapacitating him while his soldiers finished off everyone else. With everyone else dead, Doomfist picked up the person he injured, gripping his neck as he lifted them up off the ground.

However, this was not the person that Doomfist wanted to get to. That person was no where to be seen. Right now, he had the chief of security in his hand.

"Where is the President?" He asked, his voice showing his frustration.

"I don't talk to terrorists." The cheif replied, trying to free himself from Doomfist's grip. This happened a few seconds later, as the hand around his neck let go.

Doomfist listened carefully, taking note of the lack of fighting. "Talon just took over the White House. I think we just proved were a lot more than terrorists. Now, where is the President?"

The cheif remained defiant, raising his finger at Doomfist. He replied by firing his hand cannon into his chest, the chief dying a few moments later.

With the cheif of security dead, Doomfist looked around the room and noticed a wall panel that appeared to have been moved. He walked over and removed the panel, finding a tunnel behind it.

"The secret tunnels, not even on the official plans. I thought these were just a myth." Before anyone could move into the tunnel, the commander spoke up.

"Sir, US military response is minutes away and they outnumber us three to one. We need to fall back."

Doomfist knew his commander wasn't exaggerating. If he said they had to retreat, they needed to do just that. So he nodded his head. "Very well, order the troops to fall back."

"Yes sir. All units, fall back!"

Doomfist was soon out of the building, followed by his squad of soldiers and a dropship landed on the front garden.

The air defences were now offline thanks to the rest of the Talon army. With Doomfist and his squad aboard, the dropship took off and sped away from the city, activating a special stealth system to hide themselves from the incoming reinforcements. Another three dropships managed to take off, full of Talon soldiers, before the army arrived a mere few moments later.

The army quickly began to attack Talon, jets taking back air superiority and shooting down any dropships they saw. One tried to fly towards the Lincoln memorial, intending to destroy it before it was shot down. However, one American pilot caught onto the plan and moved to intercept. It fired a missile at the ship, forcing it to use flares. They proved to be of little use, as another missile followed shortly after, hitting its target and causing it to crash to the ground in a fiery mess, stopping it from causing any more damage.

With their escape route gone, the remaining Talon forces attempted to fight the incoming military. Despite their equipment, it was a hopeless move, as the military had brought in tanks as well as overwhelming forces. While the fight was long, the Americans eventually retook the city.

The President meanwhile had managed to escape down the tunnel system, being picked up by the military moments after they arrived in the city. Despite everything that had happened, Talon had failed to get to him.

While the army took back control of the city, Doomfist was busy removing his armour. He may not like wearing it but he had to admit that his scientists had done a good job with its design. As the final piece came off, he received a call from Moira.

"Doomfist here."

"We have a problem. I've checked every single body from the base and Lacroix isn't here."

"Are you suggesting that she's gone rogue?"

"Unfortunately, it seems so. Sombra is an extraordinary person but it's very unlikely she managed to take down Amelie. On top of that, I now know the dropship was destroyed using a device that had to be connected to the ships controls. There's no way she could have gotten it inside without someone seeing."

"So, you believe Lacroix had a hand in the bases destruction?"

"It's possible, though I can't confirm it. Either way, Sombra couldn't cause that much damage without help. That means she either took Widowmaker prisoner, something that's also very unlikely, or Widowmaker is now a rogue element."

Doomfist sighed. Widow was their best agent, yet if she was indeed rogue, she could end up becoming a very big problem. Her knowledge of Talon was one thing but if her skills were used against them...

"Inform Reyes of this development and tell him the orders stand. If he cannot bring her back, terminate her."

Watchpoint Gibraltar- One hour after the attack

 _"Hundreds dead and hundreds more left injured after the worst attack on the United States since the Omnic Crisis. Eye witness accounts state that Talon have directly attacked the city, causing large amounts of damage to iconic landmarks and key structures across the city._

 _While details are currently sketchy, the Pentagon has confirmed that the President is safe and has been evacuated to a secure location. We will keep you up to date as this story develops."_

News of the attack on Washington has spread like wildfire. The entire world was talking about it. Now everyone in the lab was standing, staring at the pictures that Athena showed them. Even the Bastion was watching, letting out long, sad bleeps as it saw the destruction. The only ones absent were Genji, Zenyatta and Hanzo, who had all left the lab to meditate outside after seeing the news.

"Micheal said something big was coming." McCree said, remembering the conversation he had with the former Blackwatch agent back in Egypt. "I just never expected this."

"No one expected it." Torbjorn replied, sitting down towards the back of the lab. "Washington's supposed to be one of the most secure places in the world."

"Talon just showed everyone what they're capable of." Brigitte added, sitting down next to her father.

"Now do you see why I didn't want you involved?" Torb asked his daughter, hoping she now realised what she was getting herself into. "It's dangerous."

Brigitte understood what her father was trying to do. He didn't want her hurt and she was glad he worried about her. Yet her mind was already made up. "I sorry dad but seeing this... all it does is make me more determined. I can't just stand by and let this happen. Not when you're out there fighting to stop it."

Torb didn't try to agrue, knowing that changing Brigitte's mind was near impossible. "I know I've said this before, but please be careful. I can't stand the thought of losing you, or seeing you hurt the way I was."

"I will. I promise."

Torb's concern for his daughter was genuine, however, Morrison wanted to make sure everyone else knew what they were here for. "Torb makes a good point. Talon just showed us all what they can do. They're extremely dangerous and it's very likely that people will die. If you're not up to this, now is the time to walk away."

"No way I am leaving." Lucio instantly replied.

"Me neither." DVa added.

"I will not let that happen to my country." Zarya said, cracking her knuckles as she spoke.

"Our world is worth fighting for." Mei said, while snowball flew around her, clearly agreeing as well.

Morrison now turned to McCree and Reinhardt, who hadn't given their reply. "What about you two?"

McCree simply looked towards Morrison, giving him a questioning look. "You really need an answer? There's no way we're missing this."

"Justice will be done." Reinhardt added.

With his concerns gone, Morrison turned and walked to the upper level, where Winston and Ana were looking for any intel regarding Talon's next move.

"Winston, tell Oxton to get back here ASAP."

"Jack..." Ana began, knowing she needed to tell him about Widow. "She found Amelie and Sombra... if she comes back here, she'll likely bring them as well."

"Isn't that up to Winston? It's his house."

Winston turned to face Morrison. "Jack, you're the strike commander of Overwatch..."

"Was. Past tense."

Winston rolled his eyes. "Can't you see. Everyone listens to you. If Talon truly has that capability, then the world will react... and it's very possible that the Petras Act will be revoked..."

"What he's trying to say is that they need you." Ana interrupted, taking over from Winston since she knew her voice carried more weight for him.

"Overwatch fell under my command. Reyes turned against me because of how I lead things. I'm not the person that should be in charge."

"There were many reason Overwatch fell, none of them were your fault. Gabriel was simply part of a much larger puzzle. You need to stop blaming yourself for the past. You are the best person to lead Overwatch."

Morrison did indeed listen and he did admit Ana had a point. However, he still wasn't convinced. "I don't know..."

"At least consider it Jack."

"I'll think about it. For now, my advise on this situation is that Amelie and Sombra should be brought back here. Both are very valuable assets."

Winston nodded in response, dialling Lena shortly after.

"Hey big guy."

"Have you seen the news?"

"Unfortunately. I didn't know they were that strong."

"No one did. We need you back here."

"Yeah we're almost ready to move. I'll text when we're in the air."

 _Authors note_

 _Hey everyone_

 _So bit of a shorter chapter this time, hope you don't mind. The reason for this is because it didn't feel right putting anything else after the attack, especially since this was a major plot point. It just didn't feel like it flowed very well. The next chapter should be back to normal length._

 _Anyway, hope you enjoyed it and see you next time :)_


	15. Forgiveness

**Forgiveness**

Crete, Greece

It was meant to be another calm day. Everyone woke up, had breakfast, which was once again prepared by Widow, then everyone would do their own thing for the rest of the day. Angela and Fareeha had even discussed going out, since Angela was happy with Widow's progress and it gave them an excuse to spend some time together.

However, all those plans went up in smoke when Lena received a text. It was from Emily and it contained only four words.

 _Turn on the news._

Lena did just that, switching on the tv and finding a news channel. Everyone was soon shocked into silence, walking over and staring at the images that were flashing up on the screen.

Washington DC had been attacked. Monuments lay in ruins, flames rose up into the sky and hundreds were either dead or injured.

Any hope of a stress free day had vanished. Now everyone was on edge, knowing what was likely to happen next. Angela was the person who finally said it.

"We're going to be called in. We need to be ready to move." She had hoped for at least one more day here, wanting to let Widow have one more day of normality. It seemed as though the world had a different idea.

"Are we going to your base?" Widow asked, vulnerability very clear in her voice. Despite everything, she was still worried. She didn't know how everyone would react to her presence, or how she'd react.

Angela turned to Widow. "Only if you're okay with it. I know you're worried but I won't do anything you're not comfortable with. If you want a bit more time here..."

"Non." Widow replied, not letting Angela finish. "I'll go with you. Just give me some time to get ready." She glanced towards Lena, who gave her a small nod. Soon after, Widow moved towards the stairs, heading up towards her room.

"What about you?" Angela asked Sombra, who was researching the attack on her computer. Sombra looked up briefly after she set up a search for any information regarding Talon, wanting to know what they were up to.

"Wherever Widow goes, I go."

Moments later, Lena's phone began to ring. She looked and saw that it was Winston, guessing the reason he was calling. She moved into another room to take the call, while Sombra went off to help Widow, leaving Angela and Fareeha alone.

"I guess our date's off." Fareeha said, disappointed that their plans were now on hold. Angela, sensing her disappointment, moved in and gave Fareeha a kiss.

"Don't worry. We'll find some time for one soon."

Meanwhile, Widow was in her room and was busy packing away her clothes and equipment. She'd just finished placing Widow's Kiss into her suitcase, next to her grappling hook, when Sombra appeared, lightly knocking on the door so she didn't make her jump.

"Hey. Mind if I have a quick word?"

Widow didn't look up, picking up her thermal goggles and placing them away. "Sure."

Sombra walked in, closing the door behind her and sitting down in the bed. Widow placed her goggles away and sealed up the hidden compartment in her suitcase. Once her equipment was secure, Widow moved over and sat next to Sombra.

"What did Gabriel say?" Widow asked, suspecting that was what she wanted to talk about.

"He was warning me. When he contacted me Talon were very close to finding out you're still alive. By now, they may have worked it out."

Widow looked down, fumbling with her hands as she digested what Sombra just told her. She was already worried about going to Gibraltar. Talon knowing that she was alive just added to her concerns.

"It's okay to be worried." Sombra said, wrapping an arm around Widow in an effort to keep her calm.

"That's the thing." Widow began. "I've never felt like this before. Maybe I did before Talon turned me into what I am now, but I can't remember it. All I know is that I shouldn't be feeling this... I shouldn't be feeling anything."

"And that's why you're so worried." Sombra realised, keeping her arm around Widow as she continued to open up to her.

"All of this is new to me. I don't know how people I used to know will react to me, but these emotions... I don't know what's right and what's wrong."

"It's okay Widow. Just give it time. It may seem like a lot to understand right now, but eventually, it'll all make sense." Sombra could tell that Widow relaxed slightly, hearing her breath out and seeing her nod. "There's one more thing."

Sombra removed her arm from Widow and began to type, loading up the recording Reaper asked her to make. "Gabe wanted you to hear this."

The recording was silent for a few moments, until Reaper finally began to speak.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you Amelie. I wish I'd found you sooner. Maybe then, I would have been able to save you from all this... I tried so hard to find you when you returned to Talon, but I couldn't find anything concrete. It was like you'd vanished off the face of the earth. In the end, I thought you were dead... It wasn't until I joined Talon that I found you."

There was another pause and Reaper was clearly considering what to say. After a few more seconds, he continued.

"I gave Gerard my word that I'd get you back. For years, that's what I've been planning. I read through your medical files and I knew that one day your conditioning would break down. I don't know how I did, I just knew. So I waited, helping you wherever I could. I even managed to get Talon to lay off some of their tech and convinced them to give you more freedom. All of it was to help you. In the end, Sombra started digging and I knew I needed help. Seems that help worked a little too well."

Widow couldn't help but chuckle at that statement, as the recording went on.

"I've worked to get you out ever since I joined Talon. I made a promise and I don't break them. Now that your out, I've done my part. Now you have someone else to watch your back. It may not have been how I planned it but Sombra knows what's she's doing, or at least I hope she does. Keep each other safe and don't worry about me. I have unfinished business at Talon. Reyes out."

The recording ended and Widow looked at Sombra. "All this time... he was helping me. What are you going to do now?"

"Honestly. I want to be here for you. I've had time to think about it and I don't want to go back to my old life. I didn't have anyone before I met you and Gabe. For a long time I thought that was what I wanted, but now... now I have a friend, someone who I care about. Whatever you decide to do, I'll be there right beside you."

Widow couldn't help but smile. "Thank you Sombra, for everything you've done for me." She hugged Sombra. "I couldn't ask for a better friend."

"Olivia."

"What?"

"That's my real name. Olivia Colomar. My greatest secret. Hardly anyone knows it, not even Gabe. I trust you, so I want you to know."

"Nice to meet you, Olivia."

"Nice to meet you too, Amelie."

One hour later

It didn't take Widow long to finish packing away. She only had the clothes Sombra provided when she escaped Talon, so she was packed up within ten minutes. Most of the time was taken up by Sombra, who was cleaning up the villa before they left. In reality, there wasn't much actual cleaning that needed doing, since everyone made sure to clean up after themselves.

In the end, Sombra, with the help of Widow, decided to make everyone something to eat before they left, wanting to use up the remaining food instead of throwing it away. Once they'd eaten, they agreed to move out. They collected their belongings and left the villa, stopping to let Sombra lock up before beginning the walk to the landing zone.

Lena had restored Athena's control over the dropship just before they left and had marked a location as a landing zone. It wasn't too far away but it was far enough so no one would see them. After all, Overwatch was still officially disbanded and, while she was wearing a pair of jeans and a black top, Widow wasn't wearing any makeup right now. They all wanted to keep a low profile.

After a short walk, they arrived at the landing zone and the dropship soon appeared. As the Orca descended and the doors opened, everyone quickly jumped aboard, not giving the Orca time to finish landing before it took off again.

"Welcome back Doctor Ziegler and Miss Amari." Athena said, as the Orca began the flight back to Gibraltar.

"Hello Athena. Have the other agents been informed of our situation?" Angela asked.

"Negative. Winston wanted to wait until you gave the word to proceed."

Angela looked over to Sombra, who in turn looked towards Widow. She'd just placed her suitcase next to the table when she noticed the two looking at her. "They'll find out either way. It's better that they know."

"Very well, I shall inform Winston."

United States- unknown location

Captain Jameson stood over the bed that Satya was lying in, a microphone placed on his uniform. Since she'd been rescued, her condition had only worsened. Talon had tortured her far too much and there was little else the doctors could do to keep her alive. The only person that likely could do anything to help Satya was Mercy and as far as he knew, she was still missing. Even then, there was no way she'd make it here in time.

Despite her condition, Satya was the only person who could prove Talon and Vishkar were linked. Jameson just hoped that she'd be able to tell them something, anything.

"Captain, she's regaining consciousness." Ross nodded at the nearby doctor, hearing the heartbeat monitor speed up slightly. Satya's eyes gradually opened and she struggled to keep them open due to the lights in the room.

"Satya, can you hear me?" Ross asked, jumping straight into action.

"Yes." Satya weakly responded, coughing as she spoke to the person above her. "How bad..?"

"I'm sorry. It's bad." Ross answered, not wanting to hide the truth from her. "Satya, I need to know what happened at the tower. We suspect there's a link with between Talon and Vishkar but we need proof. Why did Talon attack the tower?"

Satya coughed once again, before she finally managed to speak. "They were covering their tracks... Sanjay was working with them..."

"What? But they killed him, threw him out of the tower."

"Reaper said something about someone else..." Satya stopped to cough, beginning to struggle to keep talking. "Sanjay was a lose end... so someone else has taken over... I don't know who but I know they have his old job. That's what Reaper said. They'll get Sanjay's position and Talon gets more money."

"Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"No... I'm sorry... I should have known something wasn't right. Ever since Brazil..."

"Brazil? You mean Colado?" Ross asked, remembering the explosion that gave Vishkar the contract there. This was another incident that everyone knew wasn't an accident. There simply wasn't enough evidence to even begin trying to pin the blame on anyone.

"Yes. Sanjay caused that explosion..."

"And if he was in league with Talon, they wanted Vishkar to get that contract. Makes sense I guess. Vishkar gets the payment and part of it goes to Talon."

Satya coughed heavily. "If I'd just stopped and thought for a moment... maybe I could have stopped this going further... At least I had chance to tell someone... maybe that will be enough..."

An alarm began to sound as Satya's heart slowed to a stop. Several doctors ran in and Ross stepped back, letting them work. He could only stand and watch as they tried everything to start her heart again.

"Three. Two. One. Clear!"

Nothing.

"Three. Two. One. Clear!"

Still nothing.

"Three. Two. One. Clear!"

Watchpoint Gibraltar

"You're bringing them here?!" McCree shouted, in complete disbelief at what he'd just heard. There was a crowd of agents inside Winston's lab once again, who were remaining silent as McCree spoke his mind. The exceptions were Torb and Brigitte, who were currently in the armoury, checking over the Bastion. "Do you have any idea what they've done?"

"I'm very aware of what they've done." Morrison replied. "But as we've already discussed, Amelie wasn't to blame."

"And Sombra? I get bringing Widow here but Sombra? She clearly knew what she was doing. We can't trust her and sadly, we can't trust Widow either." This gained nods of agreement with some of the agents, most notably Zarya, who added her own thoughts on the situation.

"I agree with him. Sombra cannot be trusted."

"Something's changed." Ana replied. "Angela trusts them and she would never agree to help unless she was sure. She's told me that Amelie is remembering. As for Sombra... why would she help Angela and Fareeha escape? Why would she help Amelie? She has no reason to do so. There's clearly a reason Sombra is acting the way she is."

"Exactly my point." McCree returned. "We dont know why is she doing this. It's too risky to let her..."

"ENOUGH! Gerard was my friend. He was a friend to a lot of us. We owe it to him to try and help Amelie. I may not know why she's helping, but I know Sombra has betrayed Talon. Whatever her reasons, she's too valuable to simply ignore."

Morrison's sudden outburst caught everyone by surprise. No one had heard him speak like that since he was the commander of Overwatch. However, McCree was still unconvinced.

"And how exactly do you know that? Your inside source I'm guessing. Who even are they? We still don't know."

"Jesse!" McCree jumped, not expecting Winston of all people to shout at him. "I get it. I get why you're giving Morrison a hard time, but he knows what he's doing. Ana's right, Angela trusts them and she wouldn't do that unless she was sure. Lena has seen them and she trusts Angela's judgement. We need to do the same."

"Jesse's concerns are understandable." Genji said, making everyone turn around to face him. He was currently sat meditating to the left of everyone, along with Zenyatta. Hanzo was also nearby, however he was leaning against the wall, simply watching everyone argue about the situation.

"Thank you!" McCree replied, interrupting Genji before he could continue.

"However, I do not believe that we should turn our backs on Amelie or Sombra because of their past actions. Amelie is a victim of Talon and needs our help. As for Sombra, there is likely a reason why she has decided to help Amelie. Perhaps she feels guilty and wishes to make amends or maybe there is another, personal reason. Whatever her motivation, we are all here to help those who need it. Who are we if we refuse to help them now?"

"He's right." Lucio said, finally entering the argument. "We need to give them a chance." DVa could be seen nodding next to him, along with Mei. Reinhardt meanwhile remained quiet, not signaling nor voicing what he was thinking.

There was silence among the agents before McCree finally replied. "Fine. I don't agree with this... but I hope I'm wrong."

"Attention. Incoming dropship, eta two minutes."

"Have then land outside the lab Athena." Winston ordered, as everyone moved began moving. Lucio, DVa, Mei, Hanzo and Zenyatta remained inside the lab, moving upstairs and watching through the large window, while everyone else moved outside.

Morrison grabbed his rifle and headed out first, moving to a vantage point so he could cover the landing zone. McCree remained on the ground, keeping his revolver out in case he needed it. Winston stood near the door to his lab, waiting to greet the returning agents and their two guests. Reinhardt and Zarya stood next to him, while Genji stood further away, ready to jump forward if he needed to. Ana did not have her weapon and was walking forwards, stopping just short of the dropships intended landing zone.

A minute later, the Orca appeared over the buildings, slowly descending down and landing near the edge of the cliff. The doors opened after a short wait and Lena was the first to emerge, giving her signature salute as soon as she saw the others, before she walked back to the dropship. Angela and Fareeha were the next ones out, walking towards Ana with the Caduceus staff in hand. They stopped in front of her and the two Amari's hugged soon after.

"It's so good to see you again mum." Fareeha said, a few tears escaping from her eyes.

"I'm just glad you're okay Faree. It's good to see you too Angela."

"Likewise Ana. It's good to be back."

Before a conversation could begin, Lena reappeared from the dropship, carrying a suitcase while Sombra followed close behind her. McCree raised his revolver as soon as he saw Sombra, while Morrison could be seen readying his grip on his pulse rifle. Unlike McCree, he did not raise the weapon, seeing that Sombra posed no threat to them.

The two passed Ana, yet her eyes were too focused on the last person. Widow walked out of the Orca slowly and Ana could tell she was nervous. She walked over and stopped in front of Ana, looking straight into the other woman's eye.

"Ana..."

"Amelie."

As soon as Ana said her name, Widow felt herself become light headed. She closed her eyes and clutched her head as she fell forward, being caught by Ana as a memory returned to her. However, this memory wasn't one she'd forgotten.

This was a memory she remembered all too well. Just not this way.

 _Widowmaker- mission 027_

 _Widow knew her objective. Eliminate the Overwatch agents before they escaped with the hostages. She'd successfully managed to take out a few agents and had even noticed Jack Morrison leading the squad. Before she could even aim at him though,_ _she noticed an enemy sniper covering the Overwatch team._

 _After taking a few more shots, Widow fired at the sniper, making sure to use her agility and speed to keep them guessing. Talon were still working on her, still finding ways to improve her abilities further. Her speed had been increased, her stamina increased and her heart rate lowered. They'd also managed to keep her existence a secret and so far Overwatch had only heard rumours of her existence._

 _To her frustration, Widow's shot didn't hit the target and simply alerted the enemy sniper to her presence. Within moments, the enemy sniper had moved location and Widow returned to attacking the Overwatch team, cursing to herself that she missed the target she should have hit._

 _However, it seemed that the enemy sniper had not given up and Widow was forced to move again, as a group of drones flew straight towards the building she was in. She got out just in time, her previous location going up in flames seconds later._

 _This sniper was becoming a very big problem and now she was stuck in a fight with them, all while the Overwatch team escaped with the hostages._

 _"I'm pinned down! Someone stop those hostages escaping!"_

 _She didn't have a choice now. Widow had to engage this_ _sniper or else she'd be dead. The hostages were a lost cause anyway. If no one else could stop them, there was very little else Widow could do._

 _After moving and waiting for the sniper to appear, she finally caught sight of them. Widow_ _fired a shot which_ _caused a large explosion, just as she intended. Yet the sniper was still unharmed and once again, Widow had just given her position away._

 _She moved into cover, making sure that the enemy didn't have a shot. However, somehow a bullet managed to hit her, bouncing off the nearby wall and hitting her visor, obscuring her vision and enraging her._

 _She ripped off the damaged visor, gritting her teeth in pure anger. She had one goal now._

 _This sniper would die._

 _She reached for her weapon, that she dropped when she was hit and took aim at the sniper. That's when she realised who the enemy was._

 _Ana Amari. Arguably the worlds greatest sniper._

 _Widow smirked when she realised that Ana had hesitated. She didn't take the shot. She'd handed her an easy kill._

 _However, as Widow aimed at Ana's head, something happened to her. Something that shouldn't have happened._

 _She flinched._

 _Within a second of taking the shot, Widow was back behind cover, knowing that her rifle had moved to the left. She'd missed the shot. She must have missed. Widow analysed the area, staying in cover as she checked_ _every place a sniper could go._

 _Yet there was no sign of Ana. Widow eventually moved positions and aimed at Ana's last known position. Still nothing. After five minutes, there was no movement, no shots fired. Nothing. She must have hit her._

 _Widow smiled as she lowered her weapon._

 _"The worlds greatest sniper. Formally."_

Present day

"Woah, I got you."

The next thing she knew, Widow was being helped back to her feet. She blinked and refocused her vision, trying to make sense of what she just saw.

"You okay?" Ana asked.

"I flinched..." Widow replied, too absorbed in the new memory to compute Ana's question.

"Flinched?"

"I thought I shot you all those years ago... I tried to stop myself... but I didn't... Oh god..."

Then the weight of what she'd done hit her. Widow almost killed one of her friends.

"Ana... I'm sorry." Widow reached forward, immediately hugging Ana as she began to cry. "I'm so sorry... What have I done? I nearly..."

"It's okay Amelie." Ana replied, wrapping her arms around Widow as she comforted her. "You didn't know."

Widow was breaking down. She had tears flowing down her cheeks. "I shot you..."

"No you didn't." Ana's reply caught Widow by surprise and she moved to look straight at her.

"What?"

"You hit my sniper's scope. It shattering is what cost me my eye. You missed me. You must have known what you were about to do and forced yourself to miss."

"I... I missed..." Widow let the words sink in. She stopped herself shooting Ana. It didn't make her feel any less guilty. She just hugged Ana again, letting all her tears flow. "I'm sorry Ana... I'm so sorry..."

"Shh. It's okay Amelie. I forgive you."

As Widow let out what felt like a years worth of tears, everyone else began to relax. Zarya had already left, following Sombra and Lena inside the lab. Morrison had walked down from his vantage point and moved towards the others that were outside. Genji and Reinhardt both looked towards McCree, wondering what his next move would be. He simply lowered his revolver, placing it back in its holster and then lighting a cigar.

McCree took a puff from his cigar, watching the two women, before moving inside the lab, along with Morrison, Genji and Reinhardt. Ana remained with Widow, comforting her while she let her emotions out. She knew this was good progress for her and she was more than willing to help her. Once she calmed herself down, Widow let go of Ana and stepped back slightly, wiping away the last of her tears.

"Better?"

"Yes. A bit." Widow let out a deep breath, composing herself before she continued. "Okay. I'm ready."

The two walked towards the lab slowly, stopping just before the door. Widow took another deep breath and stepped inside, all eyes turning towards her. All accept one pair.

Zarya was too busy staring at Sombra, not forgetting what she'd done. She had information about Katya Volskaya and Zarya was determined to remove any threat to her country. Sombra had seen the way Zarya was looking at her and she knew trouble would follow, one way or another. For now, she just tried to ignore her.

Once Widow arrived, Winston asked her and Sombra to join himself, Morrison and Ana in his office. Angela and Lena also joined in the private meeting, Angela doing a quick check up on Widow to make sure she was alright. This left Fareeha with the rest of the agents and, within moments, Reinhardt had picked her up and brought her into a large hug.

"Good to see you Fareeha! You want a drink?"

Fareeha couldn't help but laugh, enjoying all the attention she was suddenly getting. "Sure thing Reinhardt."

Meanwhile, the door to Winston's office closed, blocking off the noise from everyone else. Angela and Lena, who was still holding Widow's suitcase, stood near the door, while Sombra and Widow were standing in front of Winston. Ana and Morrison were leaning against the window, letting Winston take the lead.

"We've set up personal quarters for the both of you. You'll have the same access as everyone else. However, that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Someone will be keeping an eye on you."

"Don't worry. I'm not planning on causing any trouble." Sombra said, hoping to win over some trust for herself.

"Glad to hear it. I understand Angela has a plan of treatment for you." Winston said to Widow, who simply nodded. "Angela knows what she's doing. Don't worry."

"I know she does. I trust her."

Angela smiled, happy to hear Widow say that. From what she saw, Widow didn't open up to people easily. This situation was a perfect example. Right now, she was closed off, not wanting to talk. To hear her say she trusted her meant that Angela had made progress.

"One more thing. Your weapons..."

Sombra immediately reached into her coat, bringing out her SMG and placing it on the nearby desk. "Don't lose it please."

Widow meanwhile turned to Lena, who moved forward and placed the suitcase on the same desk. Widow unzipped the case and rummaged around, opening the secret compartment and finding her rifle. With the weapon in her hands, Widow turned to face Lena.

"Will you look after this please?"

"I will. I promise." Widow reluctantly gave her the rifle, closing the suitcase after she placed her grapple and goggles alongside Sombra's weapon. Talon always let her keep her equipment within reach. Not having it was a different feeling... one that wasn't necessarily a bad one. She just had to get used to it.

"With that out of the way, I need a word with Lena. Angela, can you show them to their quarters? The doors have been left open."

"Of course."

As the three women departed and the door to the lab closed again, Lena expected to get a long lecture about the dangers of running off alone. However, Winston had something else on his mind.

"Widow seems to trust you if she's willing to give you her weapon."

"Yeah." Lena replied, looking down at the weapon in her hands. There was already one version sitting in the armoury, the one from the museum fight. Lena didn't expect another one to be simply handed to her. "She opened up to me, told me what was going through her head. I promised I'd watch out for her while she was here."

"If that's the case, I believe you should be the one to keep an eye on them. I think it'll help if Amelie feels less threatened and intimidated by someone she doesn't know."

"Yeah. I'll keep an eye on them. Though I really don't think they'll cause any trouble. Amelie's scared but she really wants to remember who she is. As for Sombra, she seems... a little off if I'm honest. I think she feels guilty."

"Guilty? What makes you think that?" Morrison asked, leaning up from the window and walking over to the two weapons on the table.

"It's the way she speaks. I think she has a personal reason for helping Amelie, something that makes her want to help her. I just don't know what it is." Lena said, placing Widow's Kiss down with the rest of widow's equipment. "Maybe she gave Talon the intel on Amelie in the first place?"

"I don't think she was part of Talon back then. I remember files crossing my desk about criminal gangs in Mexico back when I was in charge. I think I remember seeing her name in one of them."

"Whatever the reason, it will likely become clear in time." Winston said, watching as Morrison inspected the the two weapons on his desk. "For now, I've put additional security around Athena's systems. Sombra won't be able to access anything we don't want her to."

"Are you sure about that?"

Winston didn't answer Morrison's question. He knew Sombra would be able to hack her way through any firewall they had. The firewall was simply there so that he was alerted when any breach happened.

As the meeting drew to a close, Angela reappeared. She made a very audible cough, making sure that everyone heard her. Everyone looked towards her, with the occupants of the office stepping out to hear what she had to say.

"The situation concerning Amelie is... delicate. I believe that everyone needs an understanding of what's happening."

Angela made sure that everyone was listening, before she began her explanation.

"The conditioning that Amelie received from Talon is breaking down and she's starting to remember her old life. I won't go into too much detail, but Amelie chose to forget what she did. She couldn't live with what Talon forced her to do. With no memory of who she was, Amelie was twisted and turned into Widowmaker, thinking that was what was best for her. What Talon didn't realise was that Amelie was still there, just locked away... until now. I have to stress that while Amelie and Widowmaker are two different personalities, they are exactly the same person. Right now, her personality is more like Amelie and she's acting less like Widow as her conditioning weakens. However, she still had the abilities and training from her time as Widowmaker."

"So, is she still capable of killing one of us?" McCree asked, wanting to know if Amelie was a threat.

"Yes, she very likely could. The abilities and training she received will never leave her. She'll forever have them implanted in her head. However, the Widowmaker we all know is gone. Right now, she wants to know who she is but she's worried, she's scared. We all know she shouldn't be scared. However, if she feels threatened, the old Widowmaker could just as easily reappear in order to protect herself. Though I don't think that will happen, due to the progress she's made so far, no one is to do anything that could make her feel that way. Is that understood?"

Everyone nodded.

"So, what happened when she was in front of Ana?" Reinhardt asked.

Ana answered the question, understanding the situation a bit better thanks to Angela's explanation. "She remembered the day she shot me. The day I went off the grid. Turns out she tried to stop herself before she killed me."

Angela made a mental note to write that down, as she continued on with her explanation once again.

"Right now, she's remembering bits and pieces very randomly. Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad. There are some which will make her feel happy and some which will be painful and upsetting. However, at some point Amelie is going to remembered that night... the night Gerard died. When she remembers, it'll break her heart... We all need to be there to support her, especially those of us who knew her beforehand."

"May I make a suggestion?" Everyone turned to face Zenyatta, who was towards the back of the group. "Perhaps Amelie should join me to meditate. It may be able to help her relax and fell more comfortable, which in turn may help her memories return more naturally and consistently."

"That isn't such a bad idea actually." Angela admitted. "I'll have a word with her in a bit and ask if she's up for that, once she's settled down and feels a bit calmer. For now, if anyone sees Amelie around the base, don't do anything that may aggravate her. She needs to feel like she can trust us, so be nice to her, give her a chance. Please."

"I'm still not fully convinced." McCree admitted, still smoking his cigar. "But, after what I saw... I'll give her a chance."

"Thank you Jesse."

With Angela's explanation finished, everyone began away to speak amongst themselves. Before Ana had the chance to move too far, Fareeha walked forward and gained her mother's attention.

"Mum, can I have a word, in private?"

"Of course."

As the two stepped to one side, Angela walked over to them, guessing what Fareeha was about to tell her mother. Once Angela was next to her, Fareeha took a deep breath, deciding just to get straight to the point.

"Mum, I wanted to tell you this first before anyone else and I'm not going to try and dress this up. So I'm just going to say it. While me and Ang were held captive, we both realised something. We realised how we felt about each other..." Fareeha reached for Angela's hand, holding it tightly.

Ana caught on very quickly to what Fareeha was trying to say, noticing how the two women were looking at each other.

"Wait. Are you two..?"

"Yes. Yes we are mum. I'm in love with Angela, have been for some time and she's in love with me. There's no one else I'd rather be with. I just hope you're okay with us being together."

Ana just stood, not giving away any sign of what she was thinking. After what felt like an eternity for the couple, a large smile creeped across Ana's face.

"About damn time."

"Wait. No smart comments?"

"Of course not. Angela is a kind and caring woman. I couldn't think of a better person for you."

Angela couldn't help but blush slightly. "Thanks Ana."

"You're welcome. Though I will warn you, if you break my daughters heart, I will kill you."

Angela planted a quick kiss on Fareeha's cheek, knowing Ana was joking. "Don't worry. I have no intention of doing that."

"Aye aye, how's the happy couple?" Lena had now walked over, with a large, mischievous grin on her face.

"We're fine, thanks for asking." Angela replied, knowing that smile all too well. "What are you after Lena?"

"Well, I wanted to know if you're gonna tell everyone else about your relationship. There's no point hiding it..."

"You just want you're money off McCree don't you?" Angela interrupted.

"Yep."

Angela just rolled her eyes. "What do you think Faree? Should we tell them?"

Fareeha smiled at Angela. "Well, if we don't, I assume blabbermouth here will."

"Blabbermouth? Me?" Lena replied, pretending to be shocked.

The couple stepped forward, agreeing to tell everyone about the two of them. However, before either of them could say a word, Lena shouted across the room.

"Oi, McCree! You owe me twenty quid!"

McCree, who was facing the opposite direction, turned around. "Why exactly do I owe you money?"

Lena used her head to signal to her left and as McCree looked, he saw the two women holding hands. He reached for his hat and threw it to the ground, realising that he just lost a lot of money. "Damn it!"

McCree's loud curse quickly gained everyone else's attention and they all soon realised why he was cursing. Reinhardt let out a loud laugh, happy to see the two women finally together. On top of that, he'd just won some money himself.

"Haha. What did I tell you? And you thought Angela was interested in Genji." Reinhardt said, not able to resist making fun of McCree. Genji also began to laugh, realising what McCree had actually done.

"Did you not listen to me Jesse? Me and Angela are and always will be good friends. Neither of us were interested in the other romantically. Besides, I could tell her heart lay elsewhere."

"You never said that!"

"Actually, Genji did say that very clearly at the time McCree. I likely have a recording of it if you'd like to hear it?"

"No, that won't be necessary Athena." McCree said, admitting defeat and pulling out his wallet. "Right, who do I owe money to?"

"You owe me fifty." Ana said.

"You weren't here at the time! Don't try and con me out of more money!" McCree quickly replied, knowing full well that Ana had no part in the bets made.

Ana simply shrugged, chuckling to herself. "It was worth a try."

"I can't believe you lot made bets about my love life." Angela said, placing her head in her hand and shaking it in disbelief.

"We needed to teach McCree a lesson." Genji joked, chuckling to himself and gaining a smile from Hanzo, who was still standing against the wall.

Moira's lab- Oasis- Iraq

Moira cursed aloud, as the computer she was looking at reported another failure. Ever since she'd confirmed that Widowmaker wasn't dead, she'd been busy trying to get the resurrection tech to work. Without Angela working on it though, progress had become very slow, even with the team of Talon scientists working on the project.

For a start, Moira had to completely recreate Mercy's staff, since the one she was building was destroyed, which Moira assumed was Sombra's doing. Then she needed to create functioning nano tech. Fortunately, the sample of Angela's blood was extremely helpful, allowing Moira to create new nano tech based of the original. Despite following Mercy's original notes to the letter though, she just couldn't get the resurrection tech to work.

"Why won't this work? What am I missing?" Moira asked herself, reading through the notes Angela was forced to make once again.

"Have we set it up wrong?" One scientist asked.

"No, it's set up exactly the same way as Mercy's. We have a functioning staff and the healing part of the tech is working, all be it a bit more limited right now. So why isn't the resurrection part working?" The group of scientists thought, each suggesting different reasons why the tech wasn't working. For each suggestion put forward, Moira quickly shut it down, knowing that everything had been done correctly. After a barrage of suggestions, Moira had an idea.

"Hang on a minute. We're setting this up like Mercy's, yet non of us are Mercy. Maybe that's the problem... Mercy created the tech and only she uses it... So we need to rework it, make it work for another user."

"But how do we do that?"

Moira thought over the question, trying to work out what needed to be done to make the resurrection tech work. Then it hit her.

"Her blood. It's in her blood! That must be it." Moira walked away from the other scientists and found a syringe. Moments later, she had a vial of nano tech and was about to inject herself.

"Wait! What are you doing? That's far too dangerous." One scientist objected.

"I take risks where others wouldn't. Ziegler did this, so I will too."

Moira injected the nano tech into her blood and she felt the effects almost instantly. Immediately, she felt herself growing stronger and her abilities grow even more. After letting the nano tech work it's way through her blood, she walked over to a cage, which contained a number of lab rats.

"Hand me the staff."

As soon as she had the staff, Moira drained the life force from one of the rats. She powered up the resurrection tech and sure enough, the lab rat came back to life.

"So, it must use the life force of the user to bring the other back to life." One of the other scientists noted.

"Perhaps, Though there's one problem with that hypothesis. I didn't feel it take anything from me. I consider that I should have felt something..." Moira's train of thought was interrupted by a loud screech, coming from the cage of rats. When she looked inside, Moira was very surprised at what she saw.

"What an interesting outcome."

This wasn't what she aimed to achieve, but it certainly wasn't a complete failure.

This was an opportunity. One that she was going to exploit.


	16. Sea of Memory

**Sea of Memory**

 _"I'm telling you Jack, she's out there! We have to find her! We owe that to him."_

 _"I know you were good friends with Gerard, but there's no sign of her. There's nothing..."_

 _"There's always something."_

 _"Look at the reports yourself. Every team I've sent out can't find anything... It's been over three weeks Gabe... I'm sorry, I can't put any more resources into this..."_

 _"Fine. I'll find her myself."_

 _"I won't stop you... though I wouldn't get your hopes up... at this point, it's likely that Amelie's dead."_

Watchpoint Gibraltar- The next morning

Jack Morrison stood in Winston's office, his rifle leaning against the desk while he looked out of the window, watching the sun rise. It was still early, so he considered that he was the only person awake at the moment.

In all honesty, Morrison couldn't sleep. Reaper wasn't the only person with secrets. Not even Ana was aware that him and Reyes knew Amelie killed Gerard. At first, they kept it a secret, hoping that they could find her and bring her back. In the end though, he gave up. He failed her. Morrison knew that was one of the many factors that caused Reyes to turn on him.

He could at least find some comfort in the fact that Reyes never stopped looking for her, though it didn't make him feel any less guilty. Perhaps he could have stopped Amelie ever becoming Widowmaker if he'd just kept looking.

"You're up early."

Morrison was dragged back to reality by Ana, who joined him in the office. She walked up and stood next to him, watching the sun rise.

"What's up?" She asked.

"I'm fine."

"Jack, you've never been good at hiding that something's bothering you. Probably why you wear that mask now."

Morrison sighed. "I knew Ana. When Gerard died both me and Reyes knew Amelie killed him... We kept it a secret from everyone. I put everyone in danger by not revealing it was Amelie. You nearly died because you didn't know..."

"Were you sure it was her at the time?"

"It was damn obvious. No sign of forced entry, blood on the door, a single stab wound..."

"You did what you thought was right at the time. Maybe you'd do things differently now if you could, but it doesn't change the past."

Jack let Ana's words sink in, speaking up again once he had time to think.

"I failed her Ana."

"No you didn't..."

"I gave up on her. If I'd kept looking maybe we'd have saved her from what she became... Reyes was right, I'm wasn't the right person to be strike commander."

There was a short silence between the two, before Ana broke it.

"You were most definitely the right person Jack. Gabriel didn't always think before he acted, Venice was a clear example..."

"If I'd lead Overwatch better, maybe he wouldn't have turned on me."

"You two were good friends, he could have just as easily spoken to you about it. I think there was far more behind what happened back then. You need to stop blaming yourself for it and move on... Even if you don't think it, you're the best person to lead Overwatch right now."

When Ana was finished speaking, she placed a hand on Morrison's shoulder, before walking out and leaving him to his thoughts again. He still wasn't sure about the idea of leading Overwatch again, though he definitely had food for thought now.

Time passed and the sun continued to rise up. Once it reached 7:00, people began to wake up, heading over to the mess hall to find something for breakfast. Winston was the first one in the hall, wanting to get on with what he had planned for the day. He had told himself that he wouldn't have any bananas today, a plan that lasted about five seconds as soon as he entered the mess.

Reinhardt was next in, followed closely by Torbjorn and Brigitte. McCree was next, then Zarya, DVa, Lucio and Mei. They all went to the kitchen one by one and found something to eat, either a bowl of cereal or some toast.

Angela and Fareeha were next to enter the hall, the two holding hands as they made their way to the kitchen. Genji and Zenyatta were outside meditating at this point, so no one expected the two to join them. Hanzo was also no where to be seen, so most people considered they wouldn't see him till later.

After a short while, Lena arrived in the hall, quickly finding herself a bowl of cereal and sitting with Angela and Fareeha.

"Where's Amelie and Sombra?" Angela asked, surprised that they weren't with Lena.

"They weren't quite ready, so I told them where to go and left them to it."

"Aren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on them?" Fareeha replied, not sure why Lena wasn't with them right now.

"Yes... but I don't want to just be following them around all the time. It won't help them trust us if they feel like we don't trust them." Lena paused to eat a mouthful of cereal. "By the way, have you two planned a date yet?"

"We haven't really had a chance to." Angela admitted.

"Well, why not go on one tonight? There's plenty of places in town."

Before either Angela or Fareeha could reply, Sombra and Widow appeared, Widow looking slightly nervous as she stepped inside the hall. As they entered, everyone turned to acknowledge the two ex Talon agents, before going back to their own conversations. Everyone except Zarya, who didn't take her eyes of Sombra.

Sombra did her best to ignore Zarya, yet she knew she couldn't ignore her forever. Eventually, she'd have to face up to Zarya and honestly, that fact scared her a bit. For now, both her and Widow grabbed something to eat and sat down with Lena, guessing that she was the one who'd been told to keep an eye on them.

"You two okay?" Lena asked, giving Sombra and Widow a welcoming smile.

"Yeah, we're okay." Sombra answered, Widow simply nodding in agreement. Lena could tell that Widow was still worried about being here. After all, people still didn't fully trust her, of course she'd be worried about them. It was Angela that managed to get Widow to say something.

"Amelie, can I ask you something?"

There was another small nod from Widow.

"Genji's master, Zenyatta, is currently at the base. He had an idea that may help you."

Widow looked up from her food, which was a couple of slices of toast. "What is it?"

"He suggested that you sit with him today and meditate with him. He thinks it may help your memories to return."

"Do you think it'll help?" Widow asked, after taking a bite from her breakfast.

"It think it might. Zenyatta has helped a lot of people find peace, including Genji. I think he'll be able to help you relax and feel more comfortable."

"There's something else isn't there?"

Angela didn't answer for a second, not wanting to upset Widow. "Can I be honest with you?"

Widow nodded again.

"You need to forgive yourself Amelie..."

Widow looked down, guilt quickly consuming her. "How can I? After everything I've done, all the innocent lives I've taken..."

Widow wasn't able to finish, as Angela placed a hand on top of hers. "Amelie... Zenyatta has forgiven you for what you did. Lena has forgiven you and I can tell there's many more here who are willing to give you a chance. You weren't to blame for what Talon forced you to do. You need to stop blaming yourself Amelie... You need to forgive yourself."

"She's right." Sombra added. "You're not the same person who did those things. The fact me and you are here proves that. While meditating isn't exactly my thing, it sounds like it'll help you. Just, give it a go, you might be surprised."

Widow didn't reply for a while, thinking over the idea while everyone ate. Once people began to leave the mess hall, Widow gave an answer.

"Okay. I'll try it."

Lena now placed her hand over Widow's. "Do you want me there with you?"

"Yes... I'd like that. Thank you Lena."

One hour later

Widow was walking through the base towards where Zenyatta was, Lena following alongside her. Sombra had decided to stay in her quarters, wanting to organise the files she had on Talon. Widow didn't really mind this, after all, Sombra had done a lot for her over the past few days, so it wasn't unreasonable that she had a break from it all. Besides, she had Lena keeping an eye on her.

Widow didn't know why she trusted Lena so quickly. With Sombra, it took her a long time just to get her to talk. Angela was quicker due to the fact that she was helping Widow recover and that she knew Sombra was bringing her to help. As for Fareeha, she didn't really know what to think about her. She didn't hate her, that she was sure of. However, Widow didn't fully trust her yet.

Lena was different. There was something that made Widow feel safe around her, or at least safer. Perhaps it was because Lena was more than willing to help her recover, despite the fact that they were arch enemies more than a week ago. Or maybe it was due to how Lena was able to reassure her and keep her calm during all of this.

Whatever the reason, Widow had opened up to Lena, telling her what was going on inside her head, how she was scared about coming to the base and then convinced her that there was nothing to worry about. Now she just hoped that her memories returned, even if she didn't want them all to return.

After a short walk from the mess hall, the two reached their destination, the cliff near Winston's lab. Zenyatta sat with his back to the two women, looking at the view in front of him. Instead, the two were greeted by Genji, who sat further back from Zenyatta, waiting for Widow to join them.

Once Lena and Widow were close enough, Genji stood up, greeting them with a bow.

"Greetings Amelie and Lena. I hope you two are well."

"Hey Genji. Is Zenyatta ready?" Lena asked.

"He is. We can start as soon as Amelie wants to."

Widow breathed in. "Let's get it over with."

Genji nodded, sensing that Widow was slightly on edge. "Very well. Will you be joining us Lena?"

Lena turned to Widow, seeing a small nod from her. "If that's okay with Zen, then yeah."

Genji walked over to Zenyatta, speaking to him quietly before returning to his own meditation. Zen began to float shortly afterwards, turning around and hovering over to Widow and Lena.

"Greetings. How are you two today?"

"We're good thanks." Lena answered, noticing that Widow was still slightly nervous.

"Wonderful. Shall we begin?"

Widow instinctively turned to Lena, seeing her give a reassuring nod. "Yes. Let's begin."

Zen motioned to the grass behind him. "Come, sit with me."

Zen and Widow moved to the grass, the two sitting down with their legs crossed. Lena sat slightly further back, though still in view of Widow in case she needed her.

"How are you feeling?" Zen asked Widow, placing an orb of harmony on her.

Widow flinched slightly as the orb appeared next to her. However, once she felt it's healing properties, she relaxed slightly, letting it do its job. "I'm fine."

"No. How are you truly feeling? I sense disquiet in you."

Widow turned her head to Lena, wanting some reassurance from her before she answered.

"It's okay luv, he's here to help you."

Widow took a deep breath. "Honestly, I don't know how I feel. I'm worried about remembering the past but at the same time, I want to remember..."

"I see. Do you find it difficult to open up to people?" Zen asked, seeing how she struggled to answer without reassurance.

"It's how Talon conditioned me. Talon wanted to repress my emotions and they succeeded to an extent. After what they did to me, I found it difficult to trust people. I was afraid they'd do it all over again, so I kept to myself. I've never really opened up to people about what I'm thinking or feeling before, partly because for a long time I simply couldn't feel anything. When I started to, I kept it hidden so I wasn't reconditioned. Only Sombra managed to get me to open up. Only she knew what was really going on. I just couldn't trust anyone else. Probably why I was so cold and full of anger."

"I see that you trust Lena though."

Widow smiled slightly. "I don't know why I do... I just feel like I can open up to her. I feel like she's there to help..."

"Is it because me and Ang are good friends?" Lena asked, glad that Widow felt the way she did.

"No, I don't think that's why. If that were the reason, then I'd trust that other woman, Fareeha, in the same way... I'm still not sure what to make of her. I just know she isn't a threat to me. It could be because you're so willing to give me a chance, to help me when we've fought so many times."

"Possibly, but we cannot confirm that." Zen replied. "I've heard good things about Miss Oxton from my student. Perhaps these good qualities were a factor that helped you trust her."

"Maybe... So, what do you need me to do?" Widow asked, changing the subject.

"I want to help you relax. I believe that the more relaxed you are, the easier it will become for you to remember. Let's try some breathing exercises first. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Free your mind from any distractions."

Widow closed her eyes, focusing on breathing in slowly and then breathing out. She repeated this for about two minutes, simply listening to the birds chirping in the area.

"How are you feeling now?" Zen asked, as Widow continued to focus on her breathing.

Widow had to admit that this helped a bit. It had been a long time since she just stopped and relaxed, not having to worry about anything. At Talon, she always had her next mission or another target a few days away. This was a change of pace, one that she liked.

"A bit calmer actually. I've never just stopped before... I've always had something to think about or something to do. It's... nice."

With Widow relaxing, Zen decided to move on, trying to help with her memories.

"Have you ever tried to think back on your life before Talon?"

"Yes, quite often. Though every time I tried, there was nothing there... It was just blank. Eventually some parts became hazy, rather than completely blank."

"Okay. Let's us try again now. Try to focus on this period of your life. Find a memory and focus on it. Let it return to you."

Widow did just that, thinking back to her time before Talon. She tried very hard to think, yet nothing was coming through. She couldn't find a memory that she could latch onto.

"I can't remember..."

"Do not try to force yourself to remember. It will not return if you are forcing it back into your head. Relax and focus on one memory at a time, then let it return on its own."

Widow didn't quite know how to do that, yet she tried her best to listen to Zen. She found something that she managed to latch onto, then focussed on it. This time, she didn't try to force it back, letting the haze clear on its own. After a short while, Widow began to smile, as the memory became clearer.

"Have you remembered something luv?" Lena asked, noticing the smile Widow had.

"Yes. I remember the day Gerard proposed."

Flashback

 _Amelie and Gerard had been seeing each other for quite some time now. Gerard always tried to find time to come to her ballet shows, always apologising whenever he wasn't able to. He'd recently missed one such show and so he'd taken Amelie out for dinner as an apology._

 _"So, have I made up for missing your show yet?" Gerard asked, as the two of them finished off their meals._

 _"Well, you're almost there." Amelie playfully returned. "Perhaps after dessert and another drink." She gave Gerard a wink._

 _As the waiter appeared to take away the empty plates, Gerard asked him to bring them the dessert menu, along with two more glasses of red wine. Once the menu appeared, Amelie began to examine it, carefully choosing what she wanted._

 _"So, have you been up to much while I've been away?" Gerard asked._

 _"Not really. I went out with some friends on a shopping trip to the city. Nothing too interesting really. How was your trip?"_

 _"Extremely fun." Gerard sarcastically replied. "If you think your week was uneventful, you should have sat in one of those meetings I had for an hour."_

 _"That bad?" Amelie asked, raising an eyebrow and chuckling slightly at Gerard's over exaggeration._

 _"There's only so long I can listen to Jack go on about the state of the world. It hasn't changed since the last time. Don't get me wrong, it's very important work we're doing, yet sometimes I feel like we do a little too much by the book."_

 _"I'm sure there's a good reason Jack does it that way. Besides, you can always talk to him about it." Amelie said, passing the menu to Gerard once she'd decided what she wanted_

 _"Oh, me and Gabriel brought it up afterwards. Jack understood what we meant, in fact he agreed with some of the things we said. However,_ _he said that it was protocol and that he'd rather not have other people sticking their noses in and telling us things we already know. They all hoped your doing well by the way."_

 _"Nice to see someone thinks about me." Amelie said, once again playing with Gerard._

 _"Oh, you know I always think about you when I'm away. In fact, there's something I want to ask you."_

 _Gerard stood up and walked to Amelie's side of the table. Amelie didn't realise at first what he was doing, until he knelt down and pulled out a small box. He opened it, revealing the most beautiful diamond ring she'd ever seen._

 _"You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen and I couldn't imagine my life without you. Amelie, will you marry me?"_

 _Amelie had her hands over her mouth and tears of joy in her eyes._

 _"Oh my... Yes! Yes, I will."_

 _With that, Gerard stood and placed the ring on her finger, the two sharing a long kiss as the other diners applauded them._

 _"I love you Amelie."_

 _"I love you too Gerard."_

Present day

Widow opened her eyes and looked down to her hands, running her fingers over where Gerard placed the ring all those years ago.

"I lost my engagement ring after I returned to Talon. I don't remember what happened to it..."

"What about your wedding ring?" Lena asked softly, standing and sitting back down next to Widow.

"I know where that is... I had it with me when I returned to Talon. It was the only thing they let me keep. I never could bring myself to wear it after... so I left it at my home away from them."

"Wait, Talon let you have a house?"

"Talon gave me a lot of freedom." Widow said, leaving out the reason why they did so. "It's an old chateau in France owned by my family. Chateau Guillard. Since my parents passed away, I own it now... There's a few things I'd like to get from there... personal things."

"How about we ask Winston to send or a team for it once were done? I'm sure he'd understand if you explain it to him."

Widow thought over the idea, looking up and seeing Lena giving her a warm smile. "I'd like that. Can we continue?" She asked Zen, who had remained quiet during the conversation.

"Of course. Simply close your eyes and focus again."

Widow did just that, focusing on another memory. She once again latched onto it, focusing on it and letting the haze clear. It took longer this time and not all of the details came back.

"This memory isn't complete." She said. "I can only remember some parts of it..."

"The Human mind works in mysterious ways. Perhaps the memory is not yet ready to fully reveal itself. What do you see?"

Widow focused on the details she had. "I think it's my wedding day... no it is my wedding day. I can't remember the exact date but I can see myself in a wedding dress. Long, white... I look beautiful. Gerard looked so handsome in his suit. Jack, Gabriel and Ana were also there. They all traveled from the Swiss base to be there..."

"Is there anything else?"

Widow continued to focus on the memory. "The rest of it is really hazy. I can see us placing our rings on the others hand, me and Gerard cutting our wedding cake, then I can see Gerard carrying me into our home. We were so happy. I never wanted that day to end."

She opened her eyes once she was certain nothing else would return. Shorty after, Zen removed the orb of harmony from Widow.

"I believe we should take a break for a bit. It would give you and Miss Oxton the chance to speak to Winston."

The two women silently agreed to this idea, standing and saying their goodbyes to Zen and Genji. They then did the short walk to Winston's lab, hoping that he wasn't too busy right now.

Sombra's quarters

While Widow and Lena were with Zen, Sombra had gone back to her room. She was sat on the bed, organising the files on her computer and digging up anything she could find on Talon. There were a lot of files to go through and not all of them had relevant or up to date information.

After she'd deleted some of the irrelevant information she had, the door to her room opened. She expected it to be Widow or even Tracer. However, as she looked up, she came face to face with Zarya, who looked less than pleased to see her.

"Um... hi." Sombra awkwardly said, closing down her computer.

"We have a problem." Zarya returned, clenching her fists together as she spoke.

Sombra knew why Zarya was here. She wanted the information on Katya Volskaya gone. She knew she needed to tread carefully.

"Okay. I'm guessing this is about the information?"

Zarya simply nodded.

"Right... Well, since I'm here, why don't I just delete the data and we call it quits?"

Sombra didn't actually plan to delete the data when she first acquired it. In fact, she had hoped to keep it and use it for some favours when she needed them. However, that was before she turned on Talon. Realistically, Zarya wouldn't stop until the data was gone and she knew she couldn't win a fight against her. So she decided it was best to let it go.

However, Zarya wasn't satisfied with that suggestion. "The thing is, you still know... and it's very likely you've made copies."

"I haven't."

"Can you prove it though?"

Sombra had alarm bells going off in her head. She honestly couldn't prove she didn't copy the information and she could tell the situation was about to escalate.

Zarya slowly stepped forward, speaking as she did.

"I will not let you endanger my country."

"I don't want any trouble. I'll delete the data..."

"It's too late for that now."

Zarya moved quickly, trying to grab Sombra. She had already anticipated this and rolled of the bed, activating her cloak soon after.

Zarya took a guess where Sombra was and managed to land a hit on her, forcing her cloak to disable itself. However, Sombra still was moving fast and Zarya wasn't able to grab ahold of her.

Sombra sprinted out of her room, Zarya a mere few seconds behind her. With Zarya now out for her blood, Sombra headed towards Winston's lab, hoping that someone would be able to talk her down. Fortunately for her, someone was watching.

"Zarya, stand down. Sombra is not a threat." Athena ordered, closing one of the doors between her and Sombra in an effort to protect her.

"She is to my country!" Zarya returned, catching the closing door in time and forcing it back open. With Sombra still threatened, Athena was forced to call in backup.

"Attention all agents, Zarya is attempting to attack Sombra! Immediate action required!"

Winston's lab

Just before the situation with Zarya and Sombra escalated, Lena and Widow were in the lab, speaking with Winston, Morrison and Ana, who just happened to be present at the time.

"I'm sorry Lena, it's just too dangerous to send out a team to collect these things." Winston said, after hearing the suggestion from Lena.

"Luv, you know I wouldn't ask unless I was certain it would help. Amelie says that these things are personal to her. Maybe they'll help her..."

"Lena... Talon probably know about this place. They likely have people watching it in case Amelie returns to it..."

"They don't." Widow interrupted. "I kept it a secret. Talon knew I lived somewhere in the general area, but I never told them where exactly."

"They didn't ask?" Morrison said, somewhat surprised by this.

"Non. Talon gave me a lot of freedom. If I asked them to take me somewhere when I wasn't on duty, they simply did it."

Morrison nodded slowly, having a very good idea why Talon gave her that much freedom. Winston meanwhile thought over Lena's idea once again, however he still wasn't satisfied it was safe.

"I'm sorry Amelie, we just can't risk sending a team right now. If there's even a chance Talon know, we could be walking into a trap."

"But Winston..." Lena began, being interrupted before she could finish.

"How about I send a scouting team in a few days time? That way, we'll know if Talon have a presence in the area or not."

This wasn't exactly what Lena or Amelie wanted, yet they both understood why Winston was being so cautious. However, before anyone else could speak up about the situation, Athena interrupted them.

"Attention all agents, Zarya is attempting to attack Sombra! Immediate action required!"

"Where are they now?" Morrison calmly asked, moving and picking up his pulse rifle that was sitting nearby.

"Sombra is currently heading towards the lab. Zarya is close behind her."

As soon as Athena answered, Widow reacted. She quickly moved towards Morrison and took his pistol, fighting him away as he tried to stop her, before running off to find Sombra. It happened so quick that no one else could react to stop her.

Morrison cursed to himself, seeing visions of how this scenario could end. He, along with Lena, began to run after Widow, hoping to stop it escalating any further.

Meanwhile, Sombra had gotten closer to the lab and now could be seen from the window. She stopped once she ran around the corner, hugging the wall tightly as she caught her breath.

After a few seconds, Sombra carefully peered around the corner, trying to see where Zarya was. She suspected that she was somwhat quicker than Zarya, so she should have had some distance from her. However, when she looked, there was no sign of Zarya.

Sombra didn't relax though, guessing that Zarya had taken another route. She quickly looked back and checked that Zarya wasn't in front of her. Instead, she saw Zen and Genji, who'd stood up and began making his way towards her.

However, as Sombra looked to her left, she saw far too late that Zarya had found a way behind her, over the building and down the stairs next to her. She grabbed Sombra's neck with one hand and picked her up, slamming her against the metal wall.

"Now I have you." Zarya taunted, as Sombra desperately tried to free herself from Zarya's grip. She even attempted to reach for her translocator, yet she was not able to find it in her jacket. Fortunately for her, Genji had reacted to the situation.

"Zarya, Sombra is not our enemy." Genji said calmly, unsheathing his Dragonblade in case he needed it.

"She's a threat to my country!" Zarya returned, tightening her grip slightly as she stared down Genji.

"Let her go."

"Or what? You'll attack me?"

"No, but she likely will."

Zarya turned to her right, coming face to face with the barrel of a pistol. It's owner had no visible emotion on her face and she had one goal in her head.

Protect Sombra.

"Let. Her. Go." Widow said, venom in her voice as she aimed at her target. She wasn't thinking about what she was doing anymore and was just reacting to the situation she found herself in. Luckily for Zarya, Widow was just managing to resist the urge to fire.

Zarya didn't respond, simply holding Sombra while a small crowd assembled around them, made up of DVa, Lucio, Reinhardt and McCree. She knew that without her shields, a bullet from the pistol would kill her, yet she was determined to make sure her country was safe.

"Zarya! Stand down now!" Morrison shouted, while Lena moved next to Widow, trying to get her to lower the gun but not being able to get through to her. She was too focused on Zarya, watching her like a hawk.

Upon hearing Morrison, Zarya admitted defeat and released Sombra, who started coughing as she hit the floor. Lena now placed her hand over the pistol in Widow's hand, managing to get her to lower the weapon and then pass it back to Morrison.

"Lena, go get Sombra checked over. Take Amelie with you."

Lena helped Sombra to her feet, signalling Widow to follow her. Widow reluctantly followed, staring at Zarya for a short time before finally moving. She only moved two steps before she stopped, turning her head back to Zarya.

"Be grateful that I didnt shoot. If you ever do anything like that again, if you threaten me or Sombra again, I won't hesitate. Keep that in mind."

Widow stood for a moment, expecting a smart remark from Zarya. When none came, Widow turned her head away and walked off after Lena and Sombra. Once they had left, Morrison spoke to Zarya, while Genji placed his blade away.

"Care to explain yourself."

"Sombra is blackmailing an important figure in Russia." Zarya quickly replied, trying to justify her actions to the visibly angry Morrison. "That information could cripple my country if it ever went public."

"So, instead of coming to Winston, or me, about this, you decided to confront her first."

"Yes."

"So how exactly did it escalate into strangling her?"

Zarya could tell that her rash decision had just backfired. She knew she had to try and get out of this situation. "She wouldn't give it up."

"Actually, Sombra stated that she would willingly delete the data moments before Zarya attacked." Athena interrupted, exposing the lie the moment it left Zarya's mouth. She quickly regretted attempting to deceive Morrison, as he became visibly frustrated by it.

"So, now you're lying to me." Morrison took a few steps forward. "Do you have a problem with authority Zarya?"

Some members of the small crowd began to murmur amongst themselves, most notably McCree, who saw where this was going and expected Morrison to explode.

"Not at all." Zarya said, Seeing Winston approaching from the lab.

"Well, you were present when Angela explained the situation to us. She very clearly said not to do anything that could aggravate Amelie. So what do you do? You decide to attack Sombra, which obviously would do exactly that! So, either you're deaf, or you're just plain stupid!"

Everyone was slightly taken back by Morrison's bluntness, yet they understood why he was in such a mood. Zarya didn't know what to say. She realised that she'd acted too rashly.

"I... I didn't think..."

"Evidently. You put everyone at risk for your own agenda. We don't need a reckless gun running around. If you can't listen to orders, then this isn't the place for you."

Zarya lowered her head. "I have to protect my country."

Morrison sighed. "I get it. Every one of us has our reasons for being here but the way you acted today put everyone in danger. You're lucky Amelie didn't fire, she very easily could have. I guess you have a lot to think about."

As Morrison began to turn away, he was stopped by Zarya.

"What about Sombra?"

"I'll deal with it. Dismissed."

Zarya just nodded and she, along with the rest of the crowd moved away, going back to whatever they were doing. Morrison turned and walked towards the lab, stopping as he reached Winston.

"Still need a commander?"

"You'll do it?" Winston replied, surprised by Morrison's comment.

"Someone needs to keep this lot in order."

"If I'm honest, I thought you'd be a lot tougher on her."

"I didn't need to be. She seemed to get it. Besides, I'm sure Angela will give her a piece of her mind when she finds out."

Medical bay- Five minutes later

Angela was busy in the medical wing, checking over the equipment that had been set up before they arrived. However, while Angela worked, she found herself being easily distracted by Fareeha, who had decided to keep the good doctor company for the day.

As Angela finished checking over a piece of equipment, Fareeha walked up behind her, placing her arms around her and kissing her neck. This worked all too well and Angela found herself instinctively leaning back and closing her eyes.

"Faree, I have work to do." Angela struggled to say, as Fareeha kissed up her neck and stopped under her ear.

"I'm sure everything is good to go. Besides, you could do with a break."

Angela turned herself around, looking straight into Fareeha's eyes. "Maybe I do. Have anything in mind?"

"I can think of a few ideas."

The two women became detached from their surroundings for a few moments, forgetting that they were still at the watchpoint. As they shared a number of kisses, they were soon brought back into reality by the sound of Lena.

"Ang! You in here?"

Angela forced herself away, giving Fareeha an apologetic look as she walked to the door of the medical wing.

"What's wrong Lena?"

"Zarya just tried to choke Sombra to death."

Angela quickly went into her doctor mode, guiding Sombra over to one of the beds and sitting her down. She had her own opinions about this, yet she kept them to herself for now.

Widow walked into the room a short time after, passing by Fareeha, who decided to let Angela work. Widow instinctively looked around for any potential threats, relaxing slightly when she found none.

"Do you feel any pain?" Angela asked Sombra, as she lifted her head slightly and analysed her neck, finding a few bruises from where Zarya handled her.

"A bit." Sombra replied with a croaky voice.

"Can you breath okay?"

"Yeah. As I said, it's just a bit sore."

Angela nodded. "Fortunatly it's nothing serious. I should have some cream that'll take down the bruising. Lena, could you get her a drink of water?"

Both Lena and Angela moved to find what they were looking for, leaving Widow and Sombra alone. Widow walked over to Sombra, checking over the bruises on her neck.

"What did you do that caused her to do this?" Widow asked.

"I have something on Volskaya... She already tried to kill me once because of it." Sombra admitted, coughing a few seconds later

"Why didn't you just delete it then?"

"She never gave me the chance... By the way, thanks for coming to help me. Nice to see you care."

"You're welcome."

Sombra smiled to herself, as Angela reappeared with a tube of cream. Lena also returned a few seconds later, giving Sombra the glass of water while Angela applied the cream to her neck.

"This should reduce the bruising and take down any swelling. You may feel a tingling sensation but it's nothing to worry about. Just the cream doing its job."

Sombra nodded her head slightly, feeling the pain in her neck reduce almost instantly. "Wow. This stuff works quick. What is it?"

"Biotic cream, least that's the name Lena suggested. It works in a similar way to the biotic tech, yet on a much smaller scale. I mostly use it for bad cuts and bruises, as well as a way to reduce any inflammation." Angela explained, as she continued to apply the cream.

While Sombra was being tended to, Lena walked over to Widow, noticing that she was staring off into space. She gently tapped her arm, snapping Widow out of her thoughts.

"Hey, you okay?"

"I'm fine... I was just thinking to myself."

"Wanna talk about it?"

She didn't answer.

"Luv, you know you can talk to us. What's wrong?"

Widow sighed. "I could have killed her..."

"But you didn't."

"You don't get it Lena. I didn't think about what I was doing, I had no contol over my actions. I just had one goal in my head and one target in front of me. I became Widowmaker again, making sure I completed my mission no matter what... That's what I am, engineered and trained to be the perfect killer. If she didn't let go of Sombra, I would have fired. She'd be dead..."

"I'm not too sure about that luv."

"I'm sure of it. That's why I was so worried about coming here... I don't what to hurt anyone but I could very easily end up doing so. I couldn't even just walk away. I had to threaten her, I had to get my point across. That's the old me. Talon's Widowmaker. The person that has to have the last word, the person that has to accomplish her goal. The person filled with hate and anger..."

"So why didn't you shoot Zarya? Why did you give her the chance to let Sombra go?"

Widow paused for a moment, thinking of the reason why. "I... I don't know. I had the urge to, my instincts were screaming at me to do it... yet I didn't."

"So you didn't shoot Zarya, despite having every opportunity to do so. Let's try another question. Why did you react the way you did?" Lena asked, continuing with this train of thought.

"Because Sombra was in danger." Widow replied, giving Lena a question look at what seemed to be a stupid question.

"Okay. So why did you feel like you needed to protect her the way you did?"

"Because... Because..." Widow had to think for a moment. Now that she thought about it, she usually reacted to her orders. However, this time no one had given her any orders. Back at Talon, she never reacted the way she did to any potential attacks or threats. She was calmer, never just running off like she did. So why did she do so today? Then it hit her.

"Because Sombra is my friend... I trust her with my life."

Both Sombra and Lena smiled upon hearing the answer. "So, you didn't kill Zarya straight away and you reacted to protect your friend. Is that what Talon's Widowmaker would do? Would she have resisted the urge to kill like you did?"

Widow stopped and thought again. "No. She would have just killed her..."

"So perhaps you're not as programmed as you think. You're still your own person Amelie and you can clearly control your actions, even if you think you can't right now."

"Lena's right Amelie." Angela added, as she finished applying cream to Sombra. "As you recover, I believe you will gain better control over your actions and the programming will disappear. The fact that you resisted the urge to kill today means that you're getting better."

See, you just need to work on your people skills, that's all."

Widow found herself chuckling at Lena's lighthearted joke. She also realised that Lena and Angela had a point. Ever since she began to remember her old life, she found herself doing things differently. This was one such situation, not immediately shooting someone when she had the chance. She still didn't understand everything that was going on inside her head and she didn't know if she ever would. Yet, maybe she did have more control than she realised.

"Lena?"

"Yes luv?"

"Is there a gym here? I feel like I need a distraction."

 _Authors note_

 _Hey everyone._

 _So I hope you're all enjoying the story so far. There's going to be a bit of a gap between this chapter and the next. Don't worry, I'm still working on the story, I just won't be able to upload for a couple of weeks._

 _Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you in the next one folks :)_


	17. Distractions

**Distractions**

 _An emergency meeting of the United Nations has ended without an agreement on how to deal with the terrorist group Talon._

 _An earlier meeting of the UN Security Council agreed at condemning the recent attack on the United States, however could not reach an agreement on how to proceed._

 _The UK ambassador suggested the possibility of revoking the Petras Act, a move first suggested in the earlier Security Council meeting and backed by several other countries. However, any such move must be voted on in the General Assembly and such a vote does not seem likely to succeed at this present time._

 _Meanwhile, the United States ambassador has presented evidence of a change in public opinion, with protests around the world calling for Overwatch to be reassembled. It still remains unclear where the US stand on the Petras Act._

 _Further meetings of the UN are arranged for the next few days, with further debates on how to deal with Talon and the future of the Petras Act._

 _In other news, several members of the Vishkar Corporation have been arrested and the company is under investigation following evidence of a link to Talon. Shares in Vishkar dropped sharply after the allegations arose. We will keep you updated on this story as it develops._

Watchpoint Gibraltar

Widow was too occupied hitting a punching bag to take any notice of the news report, that Lena was sat watching in the corner of the gym. She had too much on her mind, memories that were returning, questions she wanted answering and now Sombra was in the medical bay. Widow needed to let out her frustration, needed a distraction and this punching bag was helping her do just that.

It was only after she heard a very audible sigh that she finally stopped her assault on the bag, turning towards Lena to see her troubled by something.

"What's up?" She asked, guessing that something on the tv had bothered her.

"Hmm. Oh nothing to worry about luv."

Lena turned and gave Widow a small smile, one she saw straight through. As Widow raised an eyebrow, Lena sighed again, knowing she wasn't convincing her.

"Did you listen to that?" Lena asked, pointing towards the tv.

"I was somewhat occupied." Widow returned dryly, turning back to the punching bag as Lena walked over. She stood to the side as Widow began her assault again.

"The UN is discussing the Petras Act..."

"The Act that makes any Overwatch action illegal?"

"Yep. They're talking about revoking it..." Lena trailed off, lost in her own thoughts.

"That's good... isn't it?" Widow asked, stopping once again and letting the punching bag sway from side to side.

Lena snapped out of her thoughts. "Yes, it is. Though I can't help but wonder what Talon's endgame is. You see, Doomfist must've known that the world would react this way... So what's his plan? What does he want?"

"You might be better asking Sombra." Widow admitted, thinking that she may have some idea. "I never really knew much about Talon's main goal or what Doomfist wanted. I just listened to whatever orders I got given and never questioned them. It was how they wanted me."

Lena simply nodded, watching as Widow returned to punching the bag. After another barrage of attacks impacted against the defenceless punching bag, Lena broke the silence.

"Amelie?"

Widow stopped once again, turning to face Lena. "Hmm?"

"Explain something to me. Your conditioning..?"

"How does it work?"

Lena nodded as Widow finished the question for her. She took a breath and motioned to a small table, along with a few chairs, set up in the gym. Once the two had sat, Widow began to try and explain it.

"It's not easy to explain, but it feels like something's edging me along, telling me what to do. When I rushed off to help Sombra, I wasn't thinking, I just listened to what my head told me to do. It's gotten a lot easier to resist since The Spider was killed, though bits still remain."

"Is some of it training from Talon as well?"

"Some of it, yes. Talon trained me to do a lot of things, such as how to fight, which allowed me to develop my own fighting style. Some of it though is built in with the conditioning, such as how I analyse a room when I enter it for any threats. Another example is when I'm in a fight, I can analyse an opponent, see how they fight and then figure out their strengths and weaknesses so I can exploit them."

"So, when we've fought in the past?" Lena asked, curious if she'd analysed her during their past fights.

"Your strengths are your speed and agility. You could overwhelm an opponent with ease if you use them correctly. However, your weaknesses are that you rush into a fight too quickly, often not thinking through your attack fully. You also lack the strength of most soldiers..."

"I'm stronger than I look." Lena interrupted, clearly joking around with her.

Widow just smirked, raising an eyebrow and then placing her arm on the table, challenging Lena to an arm wrestle. The impromptu challenge was accepted and soon Lena was using all her strength to try and win. To her surprise, she actually was winning. As she was inches away from victory, she looked up to Widow, who didn't seem to be breaking a sweat, or look like she was actually trying.

"Oh, sorry, had we started?"

With one fast movement, Widow turned the tide of the arm wrestle, taking Lena's near victory and turning it into an instant defeat. Lena just stared wide eyed for a moment, trying to take in what just happened.

"Bloody hell. So if I can't open something I'm coming to you first."

Widow chuckled, regaining her seriousness moments later. "I also thought your compassion was a weakness." She said, guilt clear in her voice. "If I ever had the opportunity when fighting you, I was going to take a hostage. I knew that would stop you dead in your tracks... Im glad I never got the chance to do that..."

Lena placed a hand over Widow's. "What about now?"

"Now... I can see that it's a strength. Without it, you'd have no reason to fight... no reason to help me."

Before the conversation could continue, Lena's phone rang. She pulled it out from one of her jacket pockets and looked at the caller, seeing Jameson's name.

"Sorry, mind if I take this?"

"Not at all."

Lena stood and walked away from the table slightly, answering the call as she did so.

"Hey Ross. What's up?"

"You sound cheerful. I'm guessing you found Mercy?"

"Yep, she's alright. Nothing too serious." Lena answered, intentionally leaving out the part about Widow and Sombra.

"Good to hear. I take it you've been watching the news?"

"Of course. Did you find that link between Vishkar and Talon by any chance?" Lena asked, guessing that was one of the reasons Jameson was calling.

"Indeed. My team found Satya Vaswani and she gave us the evidence we needed to confirm the link."

"You found Symmetra? How is she?"

Ross was silent for a moment, before reluctantly answering. "She didn't make it."

Lena let out a long breath. "Damn."

"Did you know her?"

"Not really. We crossed paths a few times but other than that, none of us really did."

"She had no idea that Talon had ties to Vishkar, not until they attacked the tower to try and cover it up. Thing is, I don't think they're the only ones. There's no way Talon would have only one source of income."

"Fair point, though you might struggle to find any evidence now. By the way, how's Jessica?" Lena asked, remembering the girl that was rescued from the cargo ship that Jameson assaulted.

"She's good. We let her return home a few days ago. Parents were amazed that she was found. We had to leave out some of the details mind you."

"I thought you might. Though, I expect she'll have told them within the first hour of being home."

Lena heard a short chuckle from Ross, before he himself let out a audible breath. Even before he spoke, Lena could tell this wasn't a social call.

"There's something you need to know. You know about the UN meeting, correct?"

"Yeah."

"Then I take it you know the UK ambassador suggested revoking the Petras Act?"

"Yeah..." Lena replied, now a little nervous with where Ross was going with this.

"Did you ever stop and wonder why exactly he did that?"

Lena thought for a moment. "Well, public opinion on the matter has changed since the act... I assumed this was the reason."

"Yes and no. Public opinion has shifted and a lot of people think Overwatch needs to return. However, that's not the main reason."

Lena thought again. "I honestly don't know Ross."

"How's the weather in Gibraltar?"

Lena's eyes went wide when he mentioned Gibraltar. She never mentioned that she was here, meaning that he'd found out. That meant only one thing.

The UK knew Overwatch was at Watchpoint Gibraltar.

"How long?"

"At least three months, maybe longer, I don't know exactly."

"So why haven't we all been arrested yet?"

"Because it's in everyone's interest to take Talon down. Only a small group of people in the country know, the PM, the Home Secretary, the heads of MI5 and MI6 and now me."

Lena just stood for a moment, letting the fact sink into her head. "So... it's being kept a secret?"

"Indeed it is. You're in a good position, public opinion is swaying towards reviving Overwatch and it seems that at least one country is willing to help you out, even if it's in secret."

"So what now? Do we answer to you or something?"

"On the contrary. More I answer to you. We need to let the politicians do what they do best, talk. In the mean time, if you need anything, I'm authorised to help in any way I can. I also can offer you some intel, if you want it."

This gave Lena an idea. Widow still wanted to visit Chateau Guillard to collect some personal items and Lena wanted to help her do that. Yet Winston was worried about Talon knowing about the place. However, if there was another reason for them to go to that area, maybe Winston would agree to let them go.

"Amelie." Lena began, turning to face her. "Still wanna go fetch that stuff from your place?"

"I'd like to." She replied, seeing the smirk on Lena's face. She clearly had a plan, or at least was formulating one in her head.

Lena winked, before turning back around and pressing the phone back to her ear.

"Ross, can I call in one of those favours?"

Winston's lab

While Widow cooled off, Angela had finished tending to Sombra, discharging her a short while ago. Before she left Angela's care, Winston had visited her, asking her to come to the lab once she was healed up. Sombra didn't keep him waiting and headed straight towards the lab the moment she was discharged.

Despite the earlier incident with Zarya, Sombra was relatively calm. Winston had been very polite and had asked her to the lab quite nicely, very different compared to her experience at Talon. They were a lot more brutish, ordering rather than asking. She had to admit it was a pleasant change.

When she arrived at the lab and stepped inside, she immediately realised that the building was all but empty and only three people were present.

Winston stood near the door, smiling as Sombra arrived. Behind him were Morrison and Ana, both sat at the holographic table, which was currently turned off.

"Hello Sombra." Winston began, putting his hand out. Sombra accepted the gorilla's hand, shaking it cautiously. "I must again apologise for Zarya's earlier actions."

"It's alright. I kinda had it coming to be honest." Sombra admitted, calming slightly as Winston apologised. "I guess that's what you wanted to talk about."

"Actually, Morrison wanted to. If you're okay with that?"

"Yeah, it's fine. I think it's time I came clean about it anyway."

She made her way over to the holo-table, Ana standing and giving her seat to Sombra. As she sat down facing Morrison, Lena ran into the lab, tapping Winston on his arm.

"Mind if I have a word big guy? It's important."

Winston looked over to the holo-table. "Can it wait for a bit?"

"No. I'm being serious Winston, Ross just called and he told me something I need to tell you. Right now!"

Lena may have been a bit more forceful than she needed to but it got the message across. Winston looked back towards Morrison, who'd also picked up on Lena's urgency.

"We can manage here."

With that, Winston walked towards the door, Lena following close behind. As they left, Morrison began his talk with Sombra.

"I know it wasn't your fault when Zarya attacked you. I want to know your side of the story. She says that you have intel on a key figure in Russia. Is that correct?"

Sombra let out a short breath. "Yes."

"Who?"

"Katya Volskaya."

"Volskaya?" Morrison said, somewhat surprised. "What has she done that you've been able to blackmail her so effectively?"

Sombra opened up her computer, typing away and bringing up the images she had.

"It turns out she gets her tech from the Omnics. Zarya was sent to get rid of me. Turns out Katya didn't even tell her, so she probably still holds a grudge for me revealing that little secret."

Now it all made sense. Russia was currently fighting the Omnics. If the Russian people found out about this, there would be outrage and Katya's name would be dragged through the dirt. No wonder Zarya wanted Sombra out of the picture.

Despite what Zarya thought about the situation, Morrison knew this information was very valuable... too valuable to simply delete. Having it could be very useful if they ever needed it...

"I originally was going to ask you to delete that information... but after hearing what it is..."

"Zarya didn't exactly like the idea of someone else knowing..."

"And she won't need to know. You copy the data and give it to us. Then you delete your version and we say it's gone. No one else is any the wiser."

Sombra didn't know what Morrison's plan was. He was a very hard man to read and he gave nothing away. Frankly though, she didn't really care. That data had caused her a lot of trouble. With Talon now on her case, she likely needed some allies and Overwatch weren't exactly a bad choice.

"It's yours. Along with everything I have on Talon. My only condition is that me and Amelie are both treated like one of you. I don't know what she wants to do afterwards but if she wants to stay and help, then I will as well."

"You want to work with us?" Ana asked, slightly taken back by the idea of working alongside Sombra.

"Depends what Amelie wants to do. I'm staying with her no matter what. I made a promise to look after her and frankly she needs people there for her."

Morrison didn't even need to think over her proposal. He'd heard that motive before. Clearly Reaper had trusted Sombra to look after Amelie, which meant he trusted her. Reyes didn't trust easily.

"Done."

After a short handshake, Ana passed Sombra a small data pad and she began to transfer the data she had, including the intel on Katya. Once she had finished the transfer, she deleted everything she had on Volskaya. It was Morrison's problem now.

Meanwhile, Winston and Lena had stopped just outside the lab. It took seconds before Lena began to explain what was up.

"Winston, the UK knows about us." Lena said, urgency in her voice.

"What do you mean?"

"Ross called and told me. A very small group of people know that were stationed here, currently five, including Ross."

Winston paused to take off his glasses. He had made contingency plans in case they were ever found. There were numerous other bases they could move to. "Do we need to relocate to a new base?"

"I don't think so. Have you seen the news recently?"

Winston shook his head.

"Okay, well the UK is currently pushing for the Petras Act to be revoked. Ross told me that no action's been taken against us because it's in everyone's interest to allow us to continue."

Winston pinched the bridge of his nose. He wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of a country outright knowing they were here, even if it was only a small group of people. It meant other people could just as easily know and they were also keeping it a secret. He could sense there was something else Lena wanted to say.

"I'm guessing there's more?"

"Well... Ross offered me some intel on Talon and I agreed to meet him tomorrow. He wants to meet in France, outside Annecy."

Winston sighed. "And let me guess. It just so happens to be near Chateau Guillard?"

"Yeah. Real coincidence ain't it?"

Lena noticed the very sarcastic smile and nod from Winston. It was painfully obvious that he was aware of what she'd actually done.

"You're not buying it are ya?"

"Nope."

Lena sighed. "Look, the reason I want to..."

"Fine."

"Wait. What?" Lena asked, stunned by Winston's sudden change of heart.

"Well, if I don't agree then I'll assume you two will run off anyway. So you can go on one condition. I go with you too. That way, there's someone that can keep an eye on the two of you. I'll inform Torb and tell him to get some equipment ready."

Lena ran forward and hugged Winston. "Thanks big guy."

"Why do you want to go there so badly?" Winston asked. "If you'd waited a few days..."

"I saw what it meant to Amelie. She left some really personal items there, such as her wedding ring. I really think it'll help her recover if she has those things back."

Winston didn't know that her wedding ring was at the chateau, since Lena never mentioned anything specific when she first suggested the idea to him. Now it all made a bit more sense. "Okay. You know Angela won't like this, right?"

"She'll understand. I just hope it helps Amelie. Thanks again big guy."

After another quick hug, Lena walked off to find Amelie. As she left, Winston clicked a small earpiece, that he just so happened to have in his ear and contacted Athena.

"Athena, do we have any items of Amelie's in storage?"

"Negative, no items were listed as Amelie's when they were recovered. However, we do have items listed as Gerard Lacroix's at another location."

"Inform Genji and ask him if he could go and look into this."

Later that evening

As the sun began to set, a large portion of the agents began to make their way towards the mess hall, looking to see what was available for dinner. Even Hanzo had finally appeared, revealing himself from the 'hiding spot' he'd found earlier, though he had decided to accompany Genji on his task.

There were some other agents that were absent from the evening meal. Zenyatta did not need to eat, unlike everyone else, so he had remained outside, meditating. Sombra, Morrison and Ana were still in the lab, going through the data that Sombra had provided. In all honesty, Sombra wanted to keep a low profile for a few days, in order to avoid a repeat of what Zarya did and no one really expected her to appear tonight.

Lena and Widow were also absent, currently making their way towards the armoury to check their equipment and Torbjorn was there waiting for them. Brigitte on the other hand had taken a break from the armoury and was currently sat with DVa and Lucio, both pausing from their usual activities of listening to music and playing video games and instead listening to on one Brigitte's battle stories.

Winston was the latest addition to the hall, however, he was only passing through, collecting some food for everyone currently in his lab. The lab had become a makeshift command centre in the last few days, with everyone frequently gathering inside whenever there was something to talk about. Even though it limited the work he could do, Winston didn't really mind. It meant that Overwatch was doing something good.

As Winston picked up a few plates of food, he turned and looked at the other agents present. Brigitte, DVa and Lucio were all in one group and were soon joined by Mei, who began listening to the tale Brigitte was currently telling, which was about one of her adventures with Reinhardt.

Reinhardt, McCree and Zarya were in another group, talking about current events around the world. Winston could tell that Zarya was being unusually quiet, possibly thinking over her earlier actions.

With the plates of food in hand, Winston began the short walk back towards his lab. As he reached the door to the outside world, Angela and Fareeha entered, Angela holding the door open and giving Winston a friendly smile as he passed by.

The two of them had already discussed the agreement he had made with Lena and Angela wasn't exactly overjoyed to hear about it. She understood while Amelie wanted to go and knew Lena only wanted to help her out. Yet she was worried about how Amelie would react to returning to her makeshift home. It wasn't a major concern, otherwise she would have told Winston not to go end of. It was just her being concerned for Amelie's well being.

Despite the concern she had, Angela reluctantly let it go, knowing that both Lena and Winston were watching Amelie. Hopefully, she could get a moment to discuss her concerns with them before they left tomorrow.

Once Winston had passed by and left the mess hall, the smile she gave him vanished, as she laid eyes on Zarya. Angela was still furious at what Zarya had done earlier and she was determined to make her displeasure known.

As Angela went to move, Fareeha stopped her advancing, placing a hand on her arm and giving her a concerned look. Angela quickly understood why she was so concerned, placing a hand on Fareeha's and giving her one of her reassuring looks in return.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry."

Fareeha didn't say anything, simply nodding and walking to find them both a meal to eat. Angela meanwhile walked over to Zarya, placing her hands on the table with a surprising amount of force and gained the attention of the small group.

"What on earth were you playing at?" She said, keeping her voice as calm as she could. "Did you have any idea what you could have done?"

Zarya leaned back into her chair, preparing for an argument with the doctor. "Sombra had information..."

"Save it!" Angela's sudden interruption caught everyone by surprise and was loud enough to gain the attention of the rest of the agents in the mess hall. "I know why you attacked her. It's not an excuse. If you think that was the best course of action, then me and you have a big problem."

Before Zarya could speak up to defend herself, Angela leaned up from the table, continuing with what she was saying.

"Amelie is very vulnerable and she could easily revert to her old self if she feels threatened by any one of us. So you decide to attack the one person that she trusted with her life in order to escape Talon."

If looks could kill, then Zarya would have been long gone with the stare Angela was giving her. Zarya struggled to find a response. "I... I didn't think..."

As Fareeha retuned with their food, Angela turned to address the rest of the agents.

"Amelie and Sombra are not our enemies."

"How can you be sure?" McCree asked, simply voicing what a lot of them were thinking.

"I know they aren't." Angela instantly replied, not missing a beat. "Amelie is hurt. She's scared of what she is and wants to know who she was before Talon. All she wants is to be accepted, to be forgiven. As for Sombra, she saved my life. She saved Fareeha's life. Now she's there for Amelie, keeping her safe and looking out for her. She's the reason we're still us and the reason Amelie is here. We've all seen these two on the battlefield and I can tell you, from first hand experience, they are not the same people. They've both changed. They ran from Talon, wanting to escape for a better life. Now they need our help. I know I keep saying this but please... Just give them a chance."

There wasn't any sound from the mess hall, everyone waiting for someone else to make the first move. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, McCree broke the silence.

"Ang, all of us trust your judgement. If you think they've changed, then we will give them a chance. Zarya admits she acted too rashly. Hopefully we can put that aside and start again."

Angela's gaze shifted over to Zarya once again. "Perhaps you should tell Sombra that."

Then she took her meal from Fareeha and walked over to a table, letting everyone else return to their earlier conversations. Zarya let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She expected something from Angela, yet she wasn't expecting to be let off so easily, being warned by McCree that Angela could top Morrison when she was angry. She thought herself lucky that Angela didn't push the matter any more than she did.

Gibraltar armoury

While most of the agents ate, Lena and Widow made their way to the armoury, meeting up with Torbjorn to inspect the equipment he'd prepared for them. The mission wasn't until the next morning, however, Torb wanted to make sure Widow was happy with what he'd prepared for her.

The armoury was a very messy part of the watchpoint, with various different projects dotted around the main room. Torb liked to work on a number of projects at once and quite often would stop working on one to progress on another. Now that Brigitte was here, Torb was able to get a lot more done in the same amount of time.

There was a single counter, which looked similar to one found at a bar. Agents usually came and stood here first if they needed to speak to Torb and he wasn't around. Shelves were placed all around the edges of the room, all full with different types of weapons and armour. Gaps in the shelves lead to various different storage cupboards, which contained more armour, weapons, tools as well as spare parts and the occasional project of Torb's. One larger gap lead to a firing range, where agents could test their weapons before taking them into the field.

As the two entered the armoury, they noticed the Bastion, sat against the wall, connected up to a machine. They didn't know but Torb was still checking over the Bastion's systems. He had guessed that Sombra was behind its earlier 'malfunction' as he called it, so he was now making sure that it was clear of any foreign code that could have infected it. Ganymede was also in the armoury, current sat inside a cage that Torb had hung from the ceiling. By now, everyone was used to seeing the small bird alongside the Bastion, yet no one really knew why it had stayed around after all this time.

As Widow looked around the room, she noticed her rifle sitting on the counter, alongside Sombra's SMG and her grappling hook. The sniper was currently on a stand, sitting upright like it was on display. One of Widow's venom mines was also sat on another table, the poison absent and the device itself opened up, almost like it was being dissected.

This table particularly interested Widow since she didn't actually bring any venom mines to the base. Next to the mine was a sign that read 'Venom Mine, MK 1' along with a blueprint from Talon. She guessed that Sombra had obtained a copy before they fled and then given it to Overwatch as part of the deal she made.

Upon another glance around the armoury, Widow couldn't spot her thermal goggles, yet she just assumed that they were stored out of sight.

For a moment, Torb was no where to be found. After waiting a few moments, he emerged from a storage cupboard, clutching a box full of tools and scanners.

"Ah. There you two are." He said loudly, placing the box he held down on the nearby counter. "I have some things to show you."

Torb wasn't one to hold grudges and he believed what Angela had said about Widow. He was still cautious though and it took Winston explaining the situation and reassuring him that Widow would be watched before he agreed to prepare some equipment for her. Now that she was here in front of him, Torb could sense that the once cold assassin had warmed up slightly and even seemed to be friends with Lena. Seeing that helped reduce his concerns further.

He stepped behind his counter and reached underneath. Soon afterwards, he brought out another sniper rifle, one which bore striking resemblance to the sniper currently sat on the counter. The only difference was the colour. Instead of being purple, the second rifle was painted in a new, shiny coat of Black.

"This looks like my rifle." Widow noted, taking the sniper from Torb and analysing it. She knew that Widow's Kiss had been designed for her by Talon. Since she only needed one rifle at a time, no more than one version existed at any one time. Apart from...

"That's because it is your rifle. It's the one Lena recovered from the Numbani museum fight. However, it's not exactly the same as this one here." Torb said, tapping the top of the other rifle.

Widow instinctively activated the sniper configuration and looked through the scope. She immediately began to notice some of the differences Torb was on about. Firstly, the scope had been changed and looked a lot clearer. The second thing was how fast the sniper charged.

"This works quicker than my current one."

"Yep. I opened up the rifle when I got it. I hate to admit it but Talon know to make a weapon. The thing is they don't then perfect them like I do. I was able to speed up the charge time by 50 percent. I might be able to remove it altogether, though I only had one at the time so I didn't want to risk breaking it."

Widow nodded in approval as Torb continued.

"The SMG has also been altered so that it has a smaller bullet spread. This means It's effective range is higher than before. I also reduced its rate of fire, since I believe the increase in range and accuracy should make up for it. I can alter it here and there now that I have a second to compare it to, depending on what you think of course."

Widow had taken note of the firing range as she entered. "May I?"

"Be my guest."

She walked over to the firing range and some targets appeared soon after. Six training bots, designed to be destroyed and then put themselves back together. Widow fired the sniper first, taking out four of the bots in rapid succession. As the four bots began reassembling, she deactivated the sniper and began firing the SMG. The lower rate of fire felt different to what she was used to, yet the increased range and lower spread seemed to make up for it.

It was then that Widow realised that Lena was not by her side. In fact, she was busy analysing over her own equipment to even notice Widow looking at her.

"You're not watching me?"

Lena looked up from the counter. "What do you mean?"

"I'm currently holding a better version of my rifle and you're not watching me, making sure I don't shoot you..." Widow said, slightly confused by this sudden level of trust.

"I trust you Amelie. I know you don't want to harm anyone and if you wanted to kill me, I'm sure you'd have tried already. Besides, I don't think you actually need that gun in order to kill anyone here."

"It helps that there's a Bastion sitting over there." Torb added, causing Widow to look to her left and see the Bastion wave at her. She let out a short chuckle as she walked back over to the counter and gave the gun back to Torb.

"It's good, I like it. What about the grapple?" She asked, assuming he'd at least looked over it.

"The grapple is interesting." Torb began, picking up the device and extending the cable. "It can take a surprising amount of force and has a very good range for what it is. However, the device is getting old and I'm noticing it malfunction every now and then, missing its target and going somewhere else."

"I noticed that too." Widow said in agreement. "It's getting very annoying."

"I can't imagine why." Torb sarcastically replied. "There's also a bit of wear and tear on the cable, from use mainly. However, part of the cable has had major force applied to it, almost like someone's been strangled with it."

Widow said nothing, waiting for the smart remark from Torb that was bound to follow.

"You strangled someone with it, didn't you?"

"I didn't have much choice at the time."

Torb sighed. "I can repair it, don't worry. Though, it'll take a bit of time for the parts to arrive. For now, don't over exert it too much. It can take the weight of two people easily but the cable itself could be destroyed by a couple of gunshots in its current state. I need to put a newer, stronger one in and then add a layer of protection to it."

"Why not just make another?" Widow asked.

"I'm planning to. It's just I'd rather have a functioning one before creating a second."

Widow nodded, as Torb placed the grapple on the counter and then reached under for the thermal goggles.

"You may have noticed a venom mine over there. I got the blueprint from up top, though I haven't finished making them yet, so you won't have any for the mission. As for your goggles, they're good to go. Nothing particularly wrong with them. I'm not a fan of the design mind you, so I'd recommend having a new pair created."

Widow frowned. "What don't you like about them?"

"It's the way they look like spider's eyes. I'm not a fan of sacrificing functionality to make something look a particular way. Then again, they might be made so that they work for you, what do I know?"

Widow thought over what Torb said. Truth be told, she always wondered why her goggles looked the way they did. Talon had created them and she never really questioned the design, since it fit with what they wanted. She even began to like it.

"I've gotten used to them. In fact, I rather like them. They're... unique."

"In which case, feel free to keep them. As I said, nothing wrong with them."

"Don't take it personally." Lena said. "Torb always has things he likes to complain about."

"Such as the fact you don't wear any combat armour Lena." He quickly replied, something that Widow couldn't help be agree with slightly. "At least back when you were a cadet you had some armour."

"My fighting style relies on speed. Therefore I need to be lightweight. Armour would just slow me down." Lena returned, winking at Torb as he grumbled under his breath. He then turned to Widow.

"In fact, that reminds me. You're outfit. It's garbage."

Widow looked down at herself, pretending to look at her clothes, before looking back up. "When did you become a fashion expert?"

Torb just rolled his eyes. "You've been spending too much time with Lena. You're picking up her cocky attitude."

"Not exactly a bad thing though. Rather that than her being grumpy all the time." Lena joked, which just caused Torb to grumble again. He knew she was joking of course, yet the thought of having another Lena was a little too much for him.

"One of you is enough thank you." Torb turned back to Widow. "Anyway, as I was saying, you're combat outfit is not good enough. While Lena doesn't wear any armour, at least she call recall and repair any damage. You on the other hand can't. Talon seriously let you out in a skin tight purple catsuit?"

Widow lowered her head. "Talon didn't really give me a choice. They gave me that outfit when they were done experimenting on me... I still had some bite in me back then, so I complained, demanded a better outfit for combat. They simply laughed at me, told me that it was needed for staff morale and that I should be using my looks to distract the enemy. Then for good measure, had me beaten for not following orders... I never argued about it again... I got the message."

Torb and Lena were both taken back slightly, neither expecting her to say that. Lena put a reassuring hand on Widow's, while Torb clenched his fist and hit the counter, visibly angry.

"That's disgusting. Too busy pleasing their own men that they leave one of their own vulnerable. Just another reason to hate them. Well, we're different here, we actually value our people and keep them safe. So I'm making you something more appropriate and with much better protection."

Widow smiled at Torb. "Thank you."

"It's not an overnight job but if you're staying around, I'll draw up some designs and let you see them when you're ready. Do you mind if I take some measurements?"

"Not at all."

Widow and Lena spent another 15 minutes in the armoury, letting Torb take the measurements he needed. He took Widow's height, waist and even took the length of her hair, something that she found a little strange. Once he was done, the three left the armoury, Torb splitting away from the two women to find Brigitte, saying he could use her help.

As the two women walked, Lena gently tapped Widow's arm.

"Amelie... when you were at Talon... did they ever..?"

Widow knew what Lena was asking, so she stopped walking to answer.

"One sergeant tried to convince me to sleep with him... When I said no he then ordered me to. When I refused again, he tried to force himself on me... The next thing he knew, he was lying in the medical bay, with three cracked ribs, a broken arm and two broken legs..."

Widow saw the shocked look on Lena's face, then it changed to one of sadness. "How did you cope? I don't think I would have been able to..." She said softly.

"I don't know... I just had to." Widow lowered her head. "You're the first person I've ever told that to. Not even Sombra knows... It's not something I'm proud of."

Lena stepped forward and opened her arms, a gesture that Widow accepted. The two hugged for a short time and Widow felt a sense of relief that she finally got that off her chest.

"Come on." Lena announced as they released each other from the hug. "I think you need a drink."


	18. Home Away From Home

**Home Away From Home**

Germany- Overwatch storage facility 05- classified location

Before the Petras Act was enacted, Overwatch had a number of secret storage facilities across the world. Since the organisation had been disbanded, only a small number of these facilities had been found. This was one of them, which to this day was still hidden.

There was a reason that Winston never used these hidden facilities though. Back in the day, only the leadership knew they existed, which also included Reyes. This meant that Talon may have known about them and occupied them as bases. Winston wasn't prepared to take any risks, so him and Athena cut off the facilities, letting them be forgotten. Only Athena knew where they were and what was stored in each one.

That was why Winston asked Genji to embark on the task of investigating this facility. Hanzo simply came along for the ride, something that didn't bother or worry Genji. Hanzo was was equally adept at stealth, something that may have been vital.

Fortunately, there was no one at this facility, remaining in its abandoned state since the day it was cut off from the rest of the world. This made the task much easier for Genji and Hanzo.

This storage facility was smaller compared to most, yet was still quite large. It was completely underground, since it was far easier to hide that way. There were a number of large metal shelves as well as boxes and containers, both wooden and metal. The facility currently was in power saving mode, meaning none of the lifts or lights were working.

As Genji and Hanzo made their way down into the facility, they found a small computer, which contained the storage database. Genji stopped in front of the screen and inserted a small USB. The screen suddenly powered up, taking a short time to fully load up. The computer didn't look like it had been started up since Overwatch was disbanded, yet Genji needed it in order to find what he was looking for. Once the computer had finished loading, it began scanning the system, confirming that no one else had accessed the computer since Overwatch was disbanded.

With the system now confirmed secure, Genji tapped a few buttons and a program from the USB loaded onto the computer. After a short wait, a voice spoke up from the screen.

"Greetings. I am Jacob. How may I assist you?"

This voice sounded very synthetic, yet it was clearly a male voice. This was a much more basic program that was based off Athena, even using a small amount of her code, yet being changed enough so that it was different. It also contained no information about Overwatch, in case it was captured by the enemy. Winston had called it a dumb AI, yet DVa had unofficially called it a virtual intelligence, or VI, referencing one of her video games. The unofficial name had stuck and everyone now referred to these programs as VI's

The VI had very limited responses in comparison to an AI, only able to answer questions with data it had available and could not give advanced tactical advice during combat. Winston never designed the VI's to do this and it's primary purpose was to interface with old and new Overwatch systems, so it could help the agents when they had to visit another base and then collect data from the computer systems.

"I need to find the items relating to Gerard Lacroix." Genji replied, as the lights in the facility began to turn on.

"One moment please. Scan complete. There is currently one container which matches your query. It is located in section B-17."

"Where is that?" Hanzo asked, as he analysed the area around him.

"You are currently near section A-01." Jacob replied. "Section B-17 is a short walk from here, approximately 38 steps. Would you like me to mark this location for you?"

"That would be most helpful. Thank you." Genji answered and sure enough, a red light appeared a short distance from them. Genji disconnected the VI from the computer and loaded it back onto the USB, before the two brothers did the short walk to the container it mentioned.

"This Gerard." Hanzo began, as the brothers located the small, metal container that held what they were seeking. "Where was he from?"

"France. The same country as Amelie." Genji replied, opening the container and beginning his search for anything that belonged to Amelie.

"Then why is this container in Germany?"

Genji paused upon hearing this. He wondered if it was because Gerard didn't die in France. However, he pushed this idea away, as he was well aware a facility existed in Switzerland.

"That's... a very good question." He walked over to the nearest computer and plugged in Jacob. The answer could have been simply that there wasn't a storage facility in France, yet Genji couldn't help but think otherwise.

"Greetings. Can I be of further assistance?"

"The container in section B-17. Are there any files that relate to it?"

Jacob scanned the facility's systems again. "There are a number of files on system relating to this container. Are you looking for anything specific?"

"Is there anything that explains why it's here?" Genji asked, while Hanzo looked through the contents of the container, pulling out a small box of jewellery and placing it outside the container.

"One moment. Yes. There is an internal note that states that there was an order to move the container from facility 01. Reason- redacted."

"Who gave that order?"

"Commander Reyes."

That got both the brothers attention.

"Reyes?" Genji said aloud. "Why would he order this container to be moved here?"

"Perhaps he is hiding something inside?" Hanzo suggested.

Genji couldn't help but be intrigued. He never payed much mind to Reyes when he was in Blackwatch. Back then, he was a completely different person and didn't really care. He just listened to his superior and did his job.

"Maybe... Jacob, copy every file that mentions this container."

"Understood."

Genji now turned back to Hanzo. "Meanwhile, we will search this container. We find anything that belongs to Amelie but keep an eye out for anything else that shouldn't be here."

France- Near Annecy

Widow stirred the cup of coffee she had, tapping the side of the cup and placing the spoon down when she was finished. She was currently sat outside a cafe near Chateau Guillard, along with Lena and both of them were waiting for Ross to arrive. It was quite a pleasant day, with the sun out and only a few clouds in the sky, so Widow was comfortable sitting here, even with the amount of makeup she currently had on to hide her identity.

Lena also seemed to be calm, taking a drink of her tea and taking a biscuit from the plate in the middle of the table. They were trying to keep a low profile, which meant that Winston had remained on the dropship, keeping an eye on the area for any Talon activity. Fortunately, he had not spotted anything, since Lena had yet to receive a phone call from him.

"So when exactly is your friend due?" Widow asked, adjusting her sunglasses slightly as she took another sip of her coffee.

"Any time now." Lena replied, checking the time on her phone.

There was a short silence for a moment, as Widow picked up one of the biscuits and took a bite of it. "Are you sure you can trust him?"

"Absolutely." Lena answered almost immediately. "Why do you ask?"

There was another pause, as Widow watched a older couple pass by the cafe. "We both saw the attack on Washington. I don't need to be Sombra to know that there was someone on the inside."

"I'm certain. I've known him since he was a trooper at Overwatch. There's no way that he'd turn to Talon. He hates them and he's done too much against them."

Widow simply nodded. She could think of another person that had fought against Talon and still joined them, yet she pushed the thought away, relying on Lena's judgement.

While they waited, Widow's thoughts turned to Chateau Guillard. The small town they were in was close by and from where they were sitting, the chateau could be seen. She couldn't help but wonder if Talon had managed to find out about her secret home. She had always been careful to make sure Talon didn't follow her or find out, yet after hearing Winston's concerns on the way here, she couldn't help but doubt herself slightly.

Widow wasn't able to dwell on the thought for long, as Lena tapped her arm to gain her attention. She looked up and noticed someone walking towards them. It was a man, somewhere in his forties with a short beard. She guessed that this was who they were waiting for.

"Hey Ross. How was your flight?" Lena said, as Ross sat down at the table.

"Uneventful. Who's your friend? New recruit?"

"You could say that. So do you have that intel for me?"

"You're in a hurry today. Was it something I said?" Ross joked, slightly surprised by Lena's sense of urgency.

"No, nothing like that. We're just on a tight timeline."

Ross reached into his pocket and retrieved a small memory stick, placing it down on the table.

"This has everything we know about Talon on it. Known members, possible base locations and some intel on past attacks by them. There's also a number in case you need to contact me again. An official number before you say you already have my number."

Lena nodded, taking the memory stick and placing it in her jacket pocket. "Thanks Ross. This really helps us out."

"As I said before, I'm authorised to help you anyway I can. So use that number if you need something."

Lena thought for a moment. "Actually, there is something else. There's a couple of people that likely are on your radar. It would be really helpful if you didn't shoot them, since they're kinda with us currently."

"Who are they?" Ross asked, taking out a small notebook and a pen.

"The first is Sombra."

"Heard of them, though that's about it. Whoever they are, they're good... too good if I'm honest. Who's the other one."

"Widowmaker."

Ross stopped and glanced up at Lena. "I'm sorry, Widowmaker? As in Talon's best assassin?"

"Yep."

"How on earth did you manage to get her on your side?"

"She kinda came to us for help... Long story short, she broke free from Talon. She needed help so I persuaded her to give us a chance."

"How do you even know you can trust her?"

"I know because she's sat right next to you."

Ross quickly turned to the other woman, seeing Widow lower her sunglasses slightly, revealing her golden eyes to him. He couldn't believe that she was actually sat next to him and that he was still alive.

"Well I'll be. Seems our intel's off. We thought you were still at Talon."

"I'm done with Talon." Widow replied, pushing her sunglasses back into position. "I'm not their puppet. Not anymore."

"I'll make sure to have their files changed." Ross said, standing shorty after and shaking Lena's hand. "Till the next time."

"Till the next time."

Just before he left, Ross turned to Widow and held his hand out. She hesitated for a moment, before cautiously accepting the handshake.

"If it means anything... I'm sorry for everything that's happened to you."

Widow may not have known Ross but she could tell that he meant what he said. She wasn't fully aware what was known about her outside of Overwatch, or even if he knew her real name.

"Thank you."

"Keep her safe Lena."

"Will do Ross."

With that, Ross took his leave, heading back the way he came and leaving the two women at the cafe.

"He seemed... nice." Widow commented, not quite sure what to make of Ross. "Are you sure we should have told him who I was?" She and Lena had discussed this before the meeting, so it wasn't a surprise when her identity was revealed. However, Widow never trusted easily, so telling Ross who she was seemed like a big risk to her.

"I'm positive. Ross is a good guy and as I said before, I've known him since the old Overwatch days. If he can, he'll get the authorities off your back."

Widow looked away, clearly thinking over what just happened. Deep down, she knew this was the best course of action, yet she couldn't help but be worried. "Ok. I trust your judgement."

"Thanks Amelie. Now, how about you show me around your place? It looks great from here."

Talon base- Unknown location

Doomfist and Moira were currently sat in the conference room of the base. Doomfist has a cup of coffee at the side of him, while Moira has a mountain of paperwork in front of her. Most of it was simply her own notes but some was specially prepared reports, just for this meeting.

"How goes progress on our resurrection tech?" Doomfist asked.

"It's progressing." Moira replied. "Without Mercy though, it's taken time to get to the stage we're at."

"So why did you want to see me then?"

Moira rummaged through her paperwork and pulled out a folder, passing it to Doomfist. "We've hit an unexpected snag, a side effect and I thought you'd want to see it."

Doomfist opened the folder and began reading through its contents. "This is... not what I expected. Are you sure the nano tech is functioning correctly."

"It is. I've triple checked it since that experiment. Replicating Mercy's tech is incredibly difficult, even with the written notes she gave me. This is a very unexpected outcome... but I believe we could make use of it."

Doomfist closed the file, looking back towards Moira. "May I remind you that this project was meant to replicate Mercy's tech in order to help our troopers in battle. In its current form, the tech does not do this. So how exactly do you consider we can use this?"

Moira leaned in as she gave her reply. "You're always saying that you want humanity to evolve and rise up to new challenges. Imagine the challenge that this will bring. Imagine what Talon could do with this. Of course, I will keep working to replicate Mercy's tech. I simply believe that we shouldn't miss this opportunity."

Doomfist thought over the proposal. He wasn't exactly comfortable with what Moira was suggesting. Despite everything, he still had some morals.

"Many would say that this is unnatural."

"Many would say what I do is unnatural and immoral. Yet because I am not bound by morals, I have been able to make great progress with my research. Even then, some would say what Mercy does is unnatural. Having the power to resurrect the dead, to choose who lives and dies. Why do you think she refuses to share that knowledge with anyone else? She's afraid of that power."

Doomfist took a drink from his coffee. "I'm still not fully convinced."

"Then let me convince you. All I need is a test subject. Doesn't matter who they are or if they're alive or dead, I'll have to kill them if they're alive anyway."

There was a short pause. "Very well Moira. I'll find you someone. While we're here, what about project Indigo?"

Moira sighed. "Well, since Sombra wrecked my last facility, Amelie went rogue and Ziegler and Amari escaped, Indigo simply grinded to a halt. I'm not even sure if it's a good idea to try again. After all, Amelie obviously wasn't fully conditioned like we considered she was."

"But there were different people in charge of conditioning Lacroix. Let me ask you this. If Sombra hadn't done what she did, would you have succeeded at conditioning Amari and Ziegler?"

Moira thought over the question. "It's very likely I would have."

"Then when the opportunity arises, I'd like you to reactivate project Indigo. I believe you will be able to succeed."

"If that's what you want, then I'll take command of the project."

"Very good Moira. Now, could you contact Reyes for me."

Moira pulled out her phone, doing just that. After a few rings, Reaper answered.

"I'm busy. What do you want Moira?" He grumbled, seemingly frustrated.

"Reyes, it's Akande. I wanted to ask how goes your progress on finding Sombra and Widowmaker? You've been at it for some time now and not seemed to find anything."

"Have you ever tried locating Sombra?" Reaper forcefully replied. "I can't find anything. Believe me, the only things I will find are the things she wants me to find. I've already been on two wild goose chases!"

"Okay Reyes, calm down." Doomfist said, trying to defuse the increasingly angry Reaper before he did something rash. "Do you believe that you can locate them?"

"At this point, no."

"Very well. Return to base. Akande out." He signaled Moira to end the call, before taking another drink of his coffee. "Reyes was a friend of Gerard Lacroix, correct?"

Moira was somewhat surprised by that question. "Indeed he was."

"How... interesting."

"You're not suggesting that Reyes had something to do with Widow's escape are you?"

"No. He couldn't have, he was on an operation in India at the time. However, perhaps he knows more than he's letting on."

"So, what do you want me to do?"

"For now, nothing. Let us see how he acts, then decide what to do."

Overwatch dropship, France- 2 minutes from Chateau Guillard

"Scans of the area show no Talon activity." Athena said to the three occupants of the dropship. "However, I cannot confirm if there is anyone inside the building."

"If anyone's in there, we'll handle it." Winston replied. "Drop us off and then move the dropship away from the area."

"Yes Winston. Standby for arrival."

While Athena piloted the dropship towards the landing zone, Widow checked over her equipment, for what seemed like the tenth time. She had her thermal goggles on her head and her grappling hook on her arm, both of which looked very out of place, since she was still wearing her casual clothes from before. As for her weapon, she was currently carrying the black version of her sniper rifle, wanting to get a feel for the weapon.

"Relax Amelie." Lena said, noticing Widow check her rifle again. "We'll be fine. There's no one here but us."

"I hope so."

As the dropship swooped down towards the chateau, the three passengers walked to the door. Once the ship was low enough, the doors opened and the three of them jumped off, letting Athena pilot the ship away from the area.

"Wow. This place is huuuuge." Lena commented, as the three walked inside, doing a few checks to make sure there was no one around. In order to transport any items Widow wanted, Lena had brought along a rucksack, which was currently on her back.

"I'll check over the rest of the building, make sure we're alone." Winston said to Widow, almost like he was asking for permission.

Widow simply nodded at Winston, walking towards the location of her laptop. Lena also nodded, telling him to be careful, before walking after Widow.

"Hey. You okay?"

Widow knew why Lena was asking. Angela had expressed concern about the possibility of a memory returning while they were here, especially if she remembered... that night. Honestly, Widow couldn't blame Angela for being worried about it and in a way, she kinda liked having people worry about her. She couldn't explain why but it felt like she mattered, like people cared about her. It was different to what she remembered while at Talon.

"Oui, I'm okay. I can't really remember much about this place. I don't really know how often I was here as a child. I just knew I owned it, so I started using it as a sort of home. Something that actually belonged to me..."

"Maybe you lived away from this place when you were younger." Lena suggested, as they approached the area where Widow had her laptop set up.

"Maybe... I cant remember my childhood at all... Just echoes..."

"It'll come back Amelie. Just give it time."

It was at this moment that Lena noticed a framed picture of Gerard and Amelie during their wedding day, along with her wedding ring, sat beside it in a small box. Widow slowly walked up to the table they were sat on and picked up the picture, looking straight down at it.

"This is the only picture I have of me and Gerard. I'm not sure how I got it but Talon never knew I had it. I could never bring myself to put it anywhere near my bedroom... Too much guilt I suppose."

Lena walked besides Widow, placing her arm around her. "It wasn't your fault. He wouldn't want you to remember him this way, to torture yourself over something you had no control over."

Widow let out a deep breath, placing down the picture and picking up the box. She slowly removed the ring and placed it on her finger, before raising her hand and planting a kiss on the ring.

"I'm sorry Gerard. I wish I could have stopped it, stopped myself. I will always love you."

She basically whispered the last part, picking the picture back up and walking away from the table. She turned to Lena and she took off the rucksack. Widow placed the picture inside and then turned to her laptop.

"Would my laptop be of any use to you?" She asked Lena, who was busy admiring one of the pictures on the wall.

"It might be. What's on it?"

"Nothing much. A few emails and documents. It's all out of date though, all missions I've already been on."

"Just bring it anyway. We have room and Winston will check it over before we get back to Gibraltar. You know, just in case."

Widow nodded before picking up the laptop, placing it into the rucksack. There were a few other items that Widow decided to take, including the original case for her sniper, which she had left here. Once she was happy, she zipped up the rucksack and placed it on her back.

"Are you sure that's all you want?" Lena asked, surprised with the low amount of items Widow had collected.

"Oui. My wedding ring and that photo are the only things that are important to me... the only things Talon haven't taken from me. Everything else here is just stuff."

Widow began to walk back the way she came, Lena a short distance behind. However, before they could reach their destination, Lena noticed some stairs.

"Hey, what's down there?"

Widow turned to see where Lena was referring to. "Wine cellar."

Lena looked towards the stairs, then back to Widow. "Is there anything good down there?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Well, you could give a bottle to Ang as a sort of thank you gift. She hasn't been on a date with Fareeha yet, so it might give them that push to do it."

Widow thought for a moment, looking over to the large dining table and seeing a couple of wine glasses sat there. "It does seem a waste to just leave it all here... Fine, let's take a few bottles with us. Pick up those glasses over there would you?"

Lena gave Widow a quick smile, before blinking over to the table and picking up the two glasses. She quickly blinked back towards Widow, who had now started walking down into the cellar.

When Lena rejoined Widow, she was met with the largest collection of wine she'd ever seen in one persons house. The only time she'd seen more were when she specifically went looking for a bottle for her and Emily.

"Blimey. How much wine does one person need?"

Widow couldn't help but chuckle, placing down the rucksack and putting the two glasses Lena had inside. "What can I say. I like to be prepared."

Lena stepped into the large collection in front of her. "So what're we taking?"

The two spent the next ten minutes picking out various bottles, deciding on one for Angela and then choosing which other ones to bring alone. Once the rucksack was nearly full, Winston entered the cellar, not expecting to see the two down here.

"Hey big guy. Guess the place is clear?" Lena said, placing one final bottle in the rucksack and then zipping it up.

"Seems that way. If I dare ask, what are you two up to?"

"What's it look like? Amelie has a large collection of wine, so we decided to..."

Lena was suddenly cut of by Widow, who placed a hand over her mouth. She raised a finger over her lips, indicating to both Overwatch agents to stay quiet. Lena slowly nodded, indicating she understood and Widow removed her hand.

Moments later, voices could be heard from upstairs. They were speaking French, so Winston and Lena couldn't understand them. Widow on the other hand could make out everything they were saying.

"Any idea who these guys are?" Lena wispered.

"Non. But whoever they are, they're looking for something specific." Widow replied, raising a finger when she heard the unknown intruders speak up again. "One of them just told the others to split up and try to find a computer or any documents lying around."

"Are they Talon?" Winston asked, reaching for his earpiece to contact Athena.

"I don't know... but from what I've heard, there's a very good chance they are."

That was all Winston needed to hear. "Athena, we need extraction now."

"Understood. ETA two minutes."

"The second that dropship arrives they'll know we're here. We need to distract them until then." Lena said, checking the stairs in case anyone walked down them.

"Agreed. Split up and use stealth for as long as possible."

The three gave each other a short nod, before they split into two. Winston went back the way he came, while Widow and Lena moved to the stairs nearby, Lena stopping to pick up the rucksack, placing it on her back.

Once Lena had the bag on, she pulled out her pulse pistols and readied them for a fight. Widow meanwhile glanced around the corner, seeing one of the intruders looking around the area. She signalled Lena to get against the wall, placed her rifle against it and then gained the attention of the intruder with a quick whistle.

The intruder looked around, confused by the sound he just heard. As he was about to dismiss it as his own imagination, he heard the whistle again. This time, it was enough to make him start walking towards the source, straight down the stairs to the cellar. Straight towards Widow.

Once he was close enough, Widow emerged from the corner, grabbing the intruder with lightning fast speed and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Parler!"

"Salope traitre! Ton..."

Widow didn't let the man finish, snapping his neck and then releasing the lifeless body. Lena couldn't help but shudder slightly at this.

"They're Talon." Widow commented, taking the rucksack off Lena so that she could move better and then picking up her rifle. The two then moved slowly up the stairs, Widow checking all around for any sign of the intruders. Fortunately, there weren't any in the immediate area, which allowed Lena to move behind some nearby cover. However, Widow could hear a group approaching them.

Widow grappled up out of sight as a group of three troopers walked around the corner. They were all speaking French and Widow once again could understand the entire conversation. They were talking about the size of the chateau and how they couldn't believe Widow was living here without Talon knowing.

"Clearly they only just found out." Widow thought to herself as she aimed her rifle at one of the troopers head. She held her fire though, preferring to stay undetected for as long as possible. However, this plan soon changed, as the dropship roared over the chateau, alerting everyone inside.

The three troopers quickly spun around and one managed to see Widow in the corner of their eye. They aimed up to the ceiling, only for a bullet to enter their skull before they could do anything else. The remaining two troopers now looked to the ceiling, seeing Widow and running for cover. Lena took this opportunity to attack, running out of cover and firing her pulse pistols. She took down one trooper and managed to wound the other, Widow finishing them off with a single shot to the chest. Widow now released the grapple and flipped herself over, landing feet first on the ground.

"I'm aboard the dropship." Winston said over the comms.

"Roger. Swing around to the original LZ. We'll be there." Lena replied, running towards that location with Widow. Before they could get outside, they came face to face with two more troopers, taking them by surprise. They both picked a target and raised their weapons, firing and killing the two troopers before they could even react.

However, this was not the last of the intruders, as a group of five ran around the corner. Fortunately for Widow and Tracer, the dropship appeared, hovering above the landing zone with its doors open. They both ran outside, Widow grabbing hold of Lena as she fired her grappling hook. The two were hoisted off the ground and up towards the dropship, Winston moving to the door and pulling the two inside. With all three passengers aboard, the doors closed and the dropship turned, speeding away from the chateau.

Now safe from danger, Widow sat down against the back of the dropship, bringing the ring on her finger into view again. She hadn't worn her wedding ring since the day Gerard died, so having it on now felt foreign to her.

"Did you get everything you wanted to?"

Widow looked up and saw Winston, who had walked over to her. She was obviously caught up in her own thoughts, since she didn't even notice Winston approach her.

"Oui. Talon took whatever they could from me. Everything I have left that matters to me is in that bag."

Before Winston could reply, Athena spoke up. "Winston, Genji is on his way back to the watchpoint. He states that his mission was a success."

"Perhaps you didn't lose everything." Winston said to Widow.

"What do you mean?" Widow asked, slightly confused.

"There were some items of Gerard's we recovered that were in storage. I suspected that some of it may have been yours, so I asked Genji to take a look into it. Seems like he found something."

Widow didn't know what to say. She didn't expect that Overwatch would keep anything of hers, especially after what happened. If anything of hers wasn't in Talon's hands, it was a victory.

"I... Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, Lena said you picked up a laptop. Do you mind if I check it over?"

"Not at all. I don't know if there's anything useful on it..."

"Don't worry. I'm sure there's something that'll help on there."

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Later that day

"So all of this belongs to Widow?" Sombra asked, as Genji brought in the third and last box of items that had been recovered. Since Angela was currently busy, Sombra had decided to watch over these items herself, knowing they were important to Widow.

"I believe so. Athena is also analysing the data recovered from the facility as we speak, so hopefully we can locate anything else of hers that we still have." This was half the story. Athena was analysing the data, yet she was also trying to work out why Reyes had ordered the container to be moved. So far, she hadn't come up with anything. He had told Athena to inform Winston as soon as possible, preferring to keep this matter a secret for now.

"Dropship inbound." Athena announced.

"What perfect timing." Genji replied, as Hanzo joined them in the lab, placing a trophy down on the boxes. Sombra immediately moved to the trophy, picking it up and reading what was written on it.

"Wow. She must have been really young when she got this."

"You seem surprised." Genji commented. "Didn't you know she was a ballet dancer?"

"I knew she was. I just didn't realise..."

"That she had a passion for it as a child?"

Sombra placed the trophy down on the floor. "Yeah. Guess her parents must have supported her..."

Genji could tell something was bothering the master hacker and Hanzo had also picked up the same thing, glancing over to his bother on how to proceed. Genji shook his head, thinking it best not to push the matter. Not much was known about Sombra's past and she wasn't likely to reveal anything to him now.

It was another five minutes before Widow, Lena and Winston arrived in the lab. Widow walked to the boxes, stopping just in front of them and running her hand over one.

"Thank you... for bringing all this here."

"You're welcome." Genji replied, bowing his head towards her. "We shall give you some space."

Genji motioned to Hanzo and the two took their leave. As the brothers left, Lena recovered the photo and laptop from the rucksack, Sombra not asking about the bottles of wine that almost fell out.

Lena passed the the laptop to Winston, who wanted to analyse what was on the hard drive and then walked over to Widow, giving her the picture. She took another look at the picture, waiting to see if any memories returned. When nothing did, she placed the picture down, taking a moment to analyse the trophy next to it.

"Shall we see what's inside?" Sombra asked Widow.

Widow nodded, moving in front of one of the boxes. When she opened it, she was met with an assortment of books and jewellery. She reached inside and picked out a necklace, admiring it for a moment, before placing it back inside.

Widow closed the box, placing it to one side and then opening the next one. There wasn't much that interested Widow in this box, mostly old cookbooks that she didn't really need anymore. However, there was a pile of books in the corner of the box, that she quickly realised were actually photo albums. She reached inside and pulled out one of the albums, opening it immediately.

The very first photo was of her as a child, holding the very same trophy that was currently sat on the floor. Even with this picture in front of her, Widow just couldn't remember that day, the memory just a blur in her mind.

She placed the photo album back inside the box, now turning her attention to the last box. At this point, Lena had picked up one of the cookbooks, reading through it for any recipe ideas. Sombra meanwhile stayed by Widow's side, making sure that she was okay before opening the last box with her.

Widow half expected to find more books inside and it somewhat explained why she liked reading when she was at Talon. However, when the final box was opened, Widow only saw one item, a small black box. Slowly, she reached for the small box and then stepped back slightly, disregarding everything else that was inside that box.

"What is it?" Sombra asked, seeing the disbelief on Widow's face. At this point, Lena looked up from the book she was reading, realising what Widow was holding.

"Wait. Is that...?"

Widow opened the box, revealing a beautiful diamond ring.

"It's my engagement ring." A tear ran down Widow's cheek, one she didn't bother to try and hide. "I thought I'd lost this, that it had been stolen or sold by Talon..."

Widow slowly placed the ring on her finger, stopping and looking at the two pieces of jewellery as another tear rolled down her cheek. It was then that Widow began to feel a slight throbbing in her head, which made her pitch the bridge of her nose and close her eyes. A few moments later, the throbbing went and Widow opened her eyes, blinking a few times.

"You okay?" Sombra asked.

"Yeah... Just a slight throbbing feeling. Nothing came back to me."

"Lena, Dr Ziegler wanted me to remind you and Amelie to pay a visit to her when you have a moment." Athena said. "Torbjorn has also finished his designs and asked you to drop in at your earliest convenience."

"Thanks Athena. We should go and see what Angela wants. It's probably important."

"Yes. Let's go see her now." Widow said in agreement.

"I'll catch up with you later. I found something earlier today that I wanted to show him." Sombra told them, motioning over to Winston who was currently sat in the office, looking over the laptop.

Widow nodded in reply, following Lena out of the lab and towards the medical wing. They weren't able to get far away from the lab before Widow had to stop, a sudden wave of pain forcing her to cry out and clutch her head. Lena quickly blinked back to Widow's side, catching her as she fell onto one knee.

The pain left as suddenly as it appeared, leaving Widow wide eyed and breathing heavily. Lena kneeled down next to her, knowing that something wasn't right.

"Amelie?"

Widow looked down at her hands, beginning to shake as a wave of emotion hit her. "What have I done..? How could I..? Gerard..."

Lena realised immediately what Widow just remembered.

"SOMBRA!"

Widow began to breath quicker, clutching ahold to Lena like her life depended on it.

"Amelie, look at me."

She slowly looked up at Lena, a river of tears flowing from her eyes.

 _Flashback- Widowmaker- Mission 00_

 _Amelie had her arm wrapped around Gerard as the two of them slept. It had been two weeks since Amelie had been rescued from Talon and she was slowly recovering from the ordeal. They were both currently staying in Gerard's house near the Swiss headquarters, as Amelie's treatment hadn't quite been finished yet._

 _It was near midnight when Amelie suddenly stirred, her eyes opening as something forced her awake. She tried to close her eyes again, trying to go back to sleep. However, there was a low voice in the back of her head, almost like a whisper, that simply wouldn't stop._

 _"Good soldiers follow orders."_

 _Amelie sat herself up, struggling to ignore this voice._

 _"Are you okay Amelie?" Gerard asked, being woken up by her movement. She had been suffering from nightmares the past few weeks, that had slowly been getting better. Gerard simply assumed this was another one, prepared to help her in any way he could._

 _Amelie responded by leaning over and kissing his cheek._ _"Oui, I'm okay my love. I just need a glass of water."_

 _Gerard nodded, turning back over and closing his eyes again. Amelie meanwhile moved the covers off herself and stood, putting on a pair of slippers and walking down to the kitchen. She poured herself a drink and quickly gulped it down, taking a deep breath to clear her head. However, the voice still remained._

 _"Good soldiers follow orders."_

 _Amelie shook her head._

 _"Good soldiers follow orders."_

 _She shook her head again. "No..."_

 _"Good soldiers follow orders."_

 _Amelie turned around and saw a kitchen knife, slowly moving her hand and picking it up. She soon lowered it back onto the counter. "No... I won't."_

 _The voice stopped, retreating away before it returned again. "You know what you need to do."_

 _Widow held her head, closing her eyes as her mind became infected with an idea._

 _"Overwatch are the enemy. Gerard is the target. He has to die."_

 _Slowly, Amelie lost control over her thoughts, each one being replaced with her target. She knew what she needed to do, what had to happen. She picked the knife back up and made her way to the bedroom. Gerard was fast asleep again and had turned onto his back._

 _An easy kill._

 _"Yes. Do it."_

 _Amelie made her way over to Gerard, climbing onto the bed and sitting on top of him. This was enough to disturb him and he slowly started to open his eyes. Amelie raised the knife, ready to plunge it into his chest._

 _"Kill him!"_

 _Yet she hesitated. She saw her wedding ring and stopped for just a second. This was enough time for Gerard to realise what was happening._

 _"Amelie? Amelie, wait!"_

 _Whatever force was speaking to Amelie regained control. Gerard managed to grab onto her hands, using all his strength to stop her._

 _But he wasn't quick enough._

 _Amelie suddenly regained control, falling backwards off the bed as she saw the knife sticking out of Gerard's chest._

 _"What have I done?!" She screamed, her eyes full of tears._

 _"What had to be done."_

 _Amelie stood, walking towards Gerard. "Gerard. Please, I'm sorry... What do I do?"_

 _She suddenly flinched in pain, her head throbbing as the voice took over again. "What do good soldiers do?"_

 _"Good soldiers follow orders." She answered aloud._

 _"Run. Follow orders. Get back to Talon."_

 _Amelie turned to the door, no longer in control of her own actions. She left the house, not bothering to wash her hands. She had to follow orders. She had to return to Talon._

 _What Amelie didn't know was that Gerard was still alive. He'd just managed to stop the knife entering his heart, yet he knew he hadn't saved himself. He'd just delayed the inevitable. He tried to call out to Amelie but she never heard him._

 _He knew what had happened to her. Talon had broken her, brainwashed her. She wasn't in control._

 _He reached to the counter on the left side of the bed, knowing there was a touchscreen tablet sitting there. He hadn't got long left, so he needed to act fast._

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Present day

"Please... Please, tell me I didn't..." Widow pleaded, begging for the memory to not be true.

Lena lowered her head. "I'm sorry Amelie."

"No... No... No..." Widow fell apart, falling into Lena's arms and hugging her as she let out years of built up grief. Sombra arrived seconds later, sprinting out of the lab after she heard Lena shout her name. When she saw Widow crying her eyes out, she didn't need to be told what had happened. She moved over and sat down next to Widow.

"I'm so sorry Amelie."

Widow looked up at Sombra, not able to say anything to her. She reached out her hand and Sombra took it, squeezing it tightly for a moment, before letting it go, Widow wrapping it back around Lena.

Winston was out of the lab moments later, seeing the two women comforting a distraught Widow. He lowered his head, as two more agents, Reinhardt and McCree, walked around the corner. Upon seeing the scene in front of them, they both lowered their heads, McCree taking off his hat as a sign of respect.

Without warning, Widow screamed out in agony, letting go of Lena and clutching her head. Lena and Sombra gave each other panicked looks, as the pain seemed to get worse and worse. Eventually, the pain got too much for Widow and she collapsed into Lena's arms. Lena leaned her back, placing her flat on the ground and taking off one of her gloves, immediately feeling for a pulse. The other three agents ran forward, ready to help if they were needed.

"She's okay." Lena said and everyone let out a sigh of relief. "She's just passed out."

"Lena, get her to Angela now." Winston told her.

They didn't need to be told twice. Sombra picked up Widow, nodding to Lena as the two of them headed towards the medical bay. Widow didn't wake up for the entire trip and neither of them knew what just happened to cause her to pass out. They just hoped that Angela had an idea.


	19. Only Human

**Only Human**

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Medical Bay

The medical bay was deathly quiet, the sound of Angela tapping a pen against her desk the only thing that could be heard. She was currently waiting for Lena and Widow to arrive, wanting to see if Widow was ready to start analysing the tech Talon had implanted into her.

Recently, Angela had Fareeha to keep her company, the two spending a lot more time together since they'd admitted their feelings for one another. However she was currently out with Ana, the two wanting to have some mother, daughter time. Angela didn't mind though and actually encouraged Fareeha to go, wanting her to grow closer to her mother again.

While she'd been alone, Angela had been reading through Widow's medical files again, considering how best to proceed with removing the tech inside her. For the most part, she knew she could remove a lot of it, however it would take a long time to do. With everything that had happened to Widow, she couldn't just reverse it immediately. This was especially true for her heartbeat. If she increased it too quickly, it would likely kill her. Instead, she'd have to begin slow and make sure her body reacted positively to the changes.

This was what Angela wanted to discuss with Widow today, once she'd returned from Chateau Guillard. Angela wasn't exactly happy that she and Lena had rushed off to France, worried about the possible effects it may have on Widow. Yet she understood why Widow wanted to go there and why Lena was so willing to help her. She also couldn't argue with the idea that recovering some of her personal items would help Widow in the long run.

"Ang?"

Angela stood and walked to the door, hearing Lena call out her name. However, once she reached the door, any plans she had to speak to Widow were immediate put on hold.

Lena and Sombra were stood in the doorway, Sombra holding a passed out Widow in her arms. The two gave Angela a concerned look, which all but confirmed that something had happened. Angela wasted no time, pointing to the nearest bed and checking over Widow once Sombra placed her down.

"What happened?" Angela asked, as she confirmed that Widow's heartbeat was still the same speed as before.

Both Lena and Sombra looked down, silent until Lena spoke up a few moments later. "She remembered Ang. She remembered that night..."

Angela stopped what she was doing, lowering her head slightly. "Did she pass out after that memory returned?"

"Sort of. She screamed out in pain shortly after remembering... she sounded like she was in agony."

Upon hearing this, Angela took a deep breath. "I think I know what happened. Every time she remembers something, she suffers pain in her head. If she passed out due to the pain, then I think she just remembered everything..."

"Will she be okay?" Sombra asked, sitting on a chair that was placed next to the bed.

"She's fine, don't worry." Angela quickly replied, reassuring Sombra. "Physically there's nothing wrong with her. Her headaches and the sudden pain will likely stop now but she will remember everything about her life... Which could also include what happened to her at Talon. So she'll need us to be there for her."

Just then, Widow groaned and began to slowly open her eyes. Sombra jumped up from the chair and was instantly next to her.

"Hey. You gave us a bit of a fright there." She said softly. "You feeling alright?"

Widow focused her vision on Sombra, seeing a warm, friendly smile from her. "Yeah. I feel a bit tired and my head's a bit sore..." Widow suddenly became aware of her surroundings. "How did I get here?"

"You passed out near the lab. I carried you here."

Under normal circumstances, Widow likely would have made a smart comment to tease Sombra. Right now, she didn't have the energy and simply wanted to close her eyes and go back to sleep.

"Amelie..." Angela began, a slight trace of regret in her voice. "I hate to ask this now but I need to be sure... Do you remember..?"

Widow didn't want to answer, yet she forced herself to do so. "Yes. I remember the night I killed Gerard..." She felt a few tears form in her eyes, though she didn't bother to try and hide them.

"Do you remember anything else?"

Widow thought for a moment, casting her mind back. She expected to once again be met with a haze and not be able to see the memories clearly. However, this time, everything was clear. She could see everything, from her childhood to the days she spent at Talon.

Widow quickly sat up, suddenly very awake. "Yes... I... I remember... My childhood, my life with Gerard... I can see everything..."

Despite the fact that Widow had all her memories back, she couldn't bring herself to celebrate, or even crack a smile. All she could think about was Gerard and what she was forced to do. She looked down to her hands, letting out a short breath as she did so. A few more tears began to form and Widow tried her best not to break down again, without great success.

Sombra sat down on the edge of the bed, next to Widow and placed a hand over hers. "It's okay Amelie."

Nothing more needed to be said. Widow leaned in and hugged Sombra, letting her tears out. Lena moved to the other end of the bed, sitting herself down, ready to comfort Widow if she needed to.

"Amelie." Angela said softly, deciding that Widow needed this time to herself. "You don't have to stay here if you don't want to."

Widow slowly turned her head to face Angela, wiping away a few tears in order to see her better. "I thought you wanted to talk about..."

"It can wait." Angela quickly replied, not letting Widow finish. "You need time to grieve, to come to terms with what you've remembered. Once you're ready, we can continue."

Widow slowly nodded, turning her head back and resting it against Sombra's shoulder. "Is it okay if I go back to my room then?"

"Of course you can. Try and get some rest Amelie, you'll feel a bit better afterwards."

Once Angela finished, Sombra stood up with Widow, silently agreeing to help her back to her quarters. The pain she felt earlier had drained her energy and Widow was feeling very weak. Due to this, she had her arm around Sombra, relying heavily on her for support walking.

"Is there anything I can do?" Lena asked, walking slowly alongside Sombra and Widow.

"The photo of me and Gerard. Could you bring it to me?"

"Sure thing."

Watchpoint Mess hall

DVa and Lucio were currently sat in the mess hall, Lucio watching as DVa played one of her strategy games online. The goal of the game was simple, destroy all the opponents bases to win. Her opponent was good, yet she was better, working out their strategy and then luring them into attacking one of her bases, only to flank them and destroy their strongest units first. She quickly destroyed their main army, before focusing on the bases. Her opponent couldn't rebuild their forces in time and DVa claimed an easy victory.

"Nice one Hana." Lucio said, giving her a high five as she leaned back from the handheld console. "We definitely need to play some time."

"You're on. Though that was nothing really. Once I worked out their strategy, I easily outplayed them. I really need a challenge, someone who's good at strategy and can think on their feet."

"Surely there's someone here that you can play? How about Winston or Lena." Lucio suggested.

"Well, I've played Lena before and she's good, just not the challenge I need. Winston's always busy and I don't really see him as a gamer."

"Brigitte?"

"We've played a couple of times actually. She's new to this game so I'm still showing her the ropes."

The two sat and thought, trying to think of anyone who could be a potential opponent. Then Lucio came up with someone.

"What about 76?"

Hana looked at Lucio in disbelief. "76? Really Lucio? He isn't even a gamer."

"Hear me out. He was the former strike commander, yes?"

"Um... yeah. So?" Hana asked, confused with where Lucio was going with this idea.

"Well, surely he has to have an idea about strategy right?"

"I suppose..."

DVa thought over the idea. In all honesty, Lucio had a point. If she taught 76 how to play, then surely he'd bring his real life knowledge to the game. He might actually be a challenge.

"Okay, you have a point there. Yet I really don't think he'll agree to it."

"You won't know unless you ask him."

As soon as Lucio said that, Morrison entered the mess hall, looking for something to drink. He had his tatical visor on, hiding his face from the two occupants of the mess hall. Lucio didn't pass up the opportunity, immediate waving Morrison over.

"Hey, got a minute?"

Jack walked up to the two, folding his arms. "Sure. What's up?"

"Hana here has something she wanted to ask you."

DVa looked to Lucio wide eyed and then up at Morrison. She couldn't believe that he'd put her in this situation. "Um... I was wondering if... you'd play a game with me sometime?"

Morrison looked down at the game console, seeing some sort of war game, though he wasn't sure what it was exactly. "War isn't a game."

"Are you sure life isn't a game, Soldier 76?" Morrison tilted his head slightly, clearly not amused by DVa's quick reply. "Look, I feel like I need a challenge... and we think that you'd know strategy pretty well... Maybe you'd even teach me something."

Morrison didn't speak for a moment, not giving any hint of what he was thinking. "I know a thing or two about strategy. Though it wouldn't really be much of a challenge for you, since I have no clue how to play in the first place."

"Then I'll teach you."

The three suddenly heard a short laugh, turning towards the door to see Torbjorn. Brigitte stepped inside the hall shortly afterwards, wondering what her father was laughing at.

"What's so funny?" She asked, while the Bastion walked in from behind her and sat down near the door, simply observing the room.

"I'm sorry but him playing video games? I just can't see it happening."

Morrison turned towards Torb, his arms still folded. "What's so difficult to believe?"

"I just can't imagine you playing any sort of video game at all, let alone beat her at one." Torb chuckled again and Morrison couldn't help but wonder if he was simply trying to edge him on. In the end, he decided to go along with it.

"Alright then."

"What? Really?" Hana replied, very suprised by Morrison's sudden change in attitude.

"Yeah. Though I'll learn the game by myself if you don't mind. Give me a week."

"Done. I look forward to playing." DVa handed over the console along with a copy of the game. She had a spare one that she kept in her Meka, ready in case someone at the base wanted to play a game, so she didn't mind lending this one to Morrison.

"Even if you manage to get your head around it, I still don't see you beating her." Torb commented.

"You have that little faith in me?"

"Don't get me wrong Jack, I'm not for a second doubting your abilities. I'm just saying that you're challenging one of the best gamers in the world. You don't really stand a chance."

"Guess I'll have to prove you wrong then. By the way, weren't you meant to be meeting Amelie and Lena later? Winston told me you were making something." Morrison asked, changing the subject.

"We were, but they never turned up." Brigitte answered, walking over and sitting on one of the nearby tables.

"Athena told us that they wouldn't be able to make it today. She won't say why though." Torb added, rubbing his beard with his hand.

"Well, from what Winston told me, she went to collect some personal items along with him and Lena today. Maybe she's been delayed." Morrison suggested. He wasn't fully aware of the situation with Widow, letting Angela take command of her recovery.

Shorty afterwards, McCree and Reinhardt entered the mess hall, both clearly worried by something.

"What's up with you two?" Torb asked.

Neither answered immediately, looking down to the floor.

"Reinhardt. What's happened?" Brigitte now asked, sensing that something was wrong.

"It's Amelie... She just remembered..."

Morrison unfolded his arms. "You mean... Gerard?"

Reinhardt just nodded and the mess hall was left in silence.

"That's not all." McCree added, finally breaking his silence. "Shorty afterwards, she screamed out in pain, before passing out. Last we saw of her, Lena and Sombra were taking her over to Angela... We didn't want to intrude... but we're worried about her."

Morrison now began to walk to the door, intending to find Angela and ask about this situation. He didn't end up walking far though, as Angela entered the room just as he reached the door. The look on her face was one of sadness, all but confirming the situation.

"Angela. Is she okay?"

"Yes, she's okay... She's just a bit shaken."

Angela slowly walked towards the others, taking a seat on one of the tables. She let out a audiable breath before she began speaking again.

"Amelie just remembered everything. Her childhood, her life before Talon... the night she was forced to kill Gerard... Right now, she's at her most vulnerable. Years of grief have just come flooding back to her and she'll feel more alone than she ever has. Lena and Sombra will look after her. Sombra saved her life from Talon and Lena somehow managed to get her to open up. But we all need to be there for her."

"What do you want us to do?" McCree asked.

"Just... be there for her. Make her feel like she matters again, that she belongs here. You and Jack knew Gerard well, a lot better than I ever did. Maybe you can help her get through this."

"We will. We owe that to him." Morrison answered, McCree agreeing with a short nod.

Angela now turned towards Morrison. "Don't tell Ana yet. She and Fareeha went out to the town for some time together. I'll tell them when they're back. I'll find Genji too. He'll inform Zen and Hanzo."

"Winston already knows what happened." McCree said. "I'll drop in and inform him what the situation is."

"I'll find Zarya and tell her." Reinhardt added, knowing she'd listen to him. "Don't know where Mei is."

"I'll find her." Morrison replied. "I guess she's probably in her quarters or on the outskirts of the base."

The four soon left the mess hall, no one saying anything more as they split up to find the other agents. Brigitte and Torb now moved to sit opposite DVa and Lucio.

"I can't imagine what losing someone you love feels like." DVa said aloud. "What Talon made her do... It must be tearing her apart."

"Dad, does she have any family we could contact?" Brigitte asked Torb.

"Not as I know of. From what I heard, her parents passed away and she didn't have any brothers or sisters. I don't think any of her old friends know she's even alive. Makes you realise what you've got, doesn't it?"

Brigitte gave her father a hug. She always said that no one was too old for a hug. Right now, she felt like she needed one. Torb never did mind, happy to spend any time with his daughter.

Widow's quarters

Sombra gently helped Widow down onto her bed, sitting down next to her as they waited for Lena to return. Widow was still feeling tired, yet she was forcing herself to keep her eyes open, refusing to fall asleep.

After a short wait, Lena stepped into the room, a small, framed picture in her hand. She walked over, placing the the picture next to Widow and then standing to the side of the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm... I'm okay. I just wish I'd had the chance to say goodbye... to say that I'm sorry." Widow replied, sitting herself up while she spoke to Lena. She felt another tear run down her cheek, yet she didn't bother wiping it away. What would be the point? More would simply take its place. "Thank you for bringing this to me."

Lena held out her hand for Widow, a gesture that she accepted shortly afterwards. Lena gave it a gentle squeeze, while she gave Widow a reassuring smile. "If you ever need to talk, then I'm here. We're all here. Try and get some rest if you can, hopefully, you'll feel a bit better afterwards."

With that Lena departed, leaving Sombra and Widow alone. She felt so powerless right now but she knew that Widow needed time. This whole experience had made her realise what she had. She couldn't imagine having to cope with the guilt and grief that Widow was holding.

Lena walked outside of the building, reaching for her phone and calling the one person she needed to talk to right now.

"Hey Lena."

"Hey Em."

Emily could tell immediately that something was bothering Lena, as her cheerful manner wasn't present. "What's wrong Lena?"

Lena let out a breath. "Is there any chance we can talk Not about Overwatch or the state of the world. Just me and you, talking about something normal."

"Of course we can." Emily replied softly, now worried about her girlfriend. "Please tell me what's happpend that's put you down like this? You don't sound like yourself Lena."

"Do you really want to know?"

"Lena, I said I'm here for you. Please just talk to me."

Lena let out another breath. "Do you remember what I told you about Widowmaker?"

"Yeah, I remember." Emily knew that Widow was behind Mondatta's death and that Lena had faced her numerous times. She always knew that anything involving the assassin was bad news. That's why she was caught so off guard with what Lena said next.

"She escaped Talon. She came to us for help and I actually managed to get her to open up. She just remembered her old life and what she was forced to do and it broke her heart. She hasn't got anyone left for her now. No family or loved ones... It made me realise that I'm so lucky to have you, that you're here for me when I need someone to talk to."

"Lena, I'm not going anywhere. I will always be here for you. I love you."

Lena smiled upon hearing Emily's reply. "And I love you Em. I love you so much." She wiped away a tear before she continued. "It's not just that though. Widow's hurting right now. She's scared and I don't know what to do. I've never experienced what she has. How can I be there for her?"

Emily was silent for a few moments, thinking of what to say. "You just have to be. Even if you can't relate to everything she's going through, you can help her through it. Just be there for her, by her side and ready to reassure her. Be the hero she needs you to be."

Lena smiled slightly again. "Yeah. I'll try to be. Thanks Em."

"You're welcome. Do you still want to talk?"

"Can we?"

"Of course. I got a few days off so I'm not really doing anything. Any ideas what I could do?"

For the next half an hour, Lena and Emily just talked. They talked about anything that felt natural. Lena was so grateful that Emily was there and she couldn't begin to imagine what her life would be like without her in it.

Meanwhile, while Lena was speaking to Emily, Sombra opened up her computer. She looked through the various documents and found the one she was looking for, the one she knew Widow needed right now.

"There's one more thing I didn't tell you Amelie. Shorty after we both escaped Talon, I contacted Gabe, wanting answers to some questions I had. Before he hung up, he linked me a file and told me to show it to you when the time was right. I think that right now, you need to see this."

Sombra reached for a tablet, that had been left on a counter next to the bed. It wasn't connected to the base network, so she suspected no one would mind, especially due to what it was.

Once the file was transferred over, she passed the device to Widow and she cautiously accepted it. She didn't know what Sombra was handing her, yet when she read the first word, Widow realised what it was.

 _Amelie_

 _I'm sorry that this ended up happening to you. I tried my best to protect you and I failed. Now I only have a short time left and there are some things I want to tell you._

 _Firstly, know that I don't in any way blame you for what happened. I could see that it wasn't you Amelie and I know that right now, you will be blaming yourself. Do not consume yourself with guilt that you don't deserve._

 _The day you agreed to marry me was the best day of my life. You completed me Amelie and I would not trade a single day of my life with you for anything._

 _However all good things must come to an end and it seems that this chapter of our lives must also come to a close, even if it isn't the way we wanted it to do so._

 _I don't know how much time will have passed since I wrote this, which may make my next request even more difficult for you. Amelie_ _, I want you to move on._

 _We once discussed starting a family together and I know how much it meant to you. I want you to still have the chance to do that. So please, do not let your life be consumed by grief. Honour my memory by finding someone that will look after you. It may not be easy but I'm sure that there will be people there to help you through this._

 _We all need someone Amelie and you don't deserve to be alone. Please do not shut yourself away and let this change who you are. Live your life to the fullest._

 _I will always love you._

 _Forever yours._

 _Gerard Lacroix._

Amelie was forced to wipe away the tears that had formed while she was reading. The message may have been short but to her, it meant the world that he was able to say one more thing to her.

"He forgave me... All this time... I thought he hated me."

"He would never have hated you because of this." Sombra softly said, taking one of Widow's hands in her own. "He loved you Amelie and he would have known that Talon were behind it. That's why he left you this message. It was his way of saying goodbye. It may not have been perfect, or exactly what either of you wanted, but it was the best he could do. He knew you needed to hear it. You've been so brave escaping Talon, telling me about everything and for coming here for help. He would be so proud of you."

Widow reached for the picture of her and Gerard, bringing it in front of her. She looked at it for a moment before bringing the image to her lips and gently kissing it.

"Goodbye Gerard. I will always love you."

Widow placed the picture back on the counter and then leaned back against the bed, thinking over what Gerard said. She couldn't help but wipe away a few more tears, as she thought back to what she wanted with Gerard.

"Amelie?" Sombra asked, seeing that Widow was troubled by something.

"Gerard told me that I should move on, that I should live my life to the fullest... Thing is, I don't know how I can anymore... I wanted to start a family... How could I possibly do that now? Even if I can still have a baby, who would want me as their mother."

"I think you'd make a great mum." Sombra replied, gaining a sceptical look from Widow.

"I think the woman who wanted all of that died a long time ago. I just can't see mysef in that position anymore."

Sombra nodded, understanding why Widow felt this way. In all honesty, she couldn't blame her. After all she'd been through and after everything Talon forced her to do, no one would be the same.

"I will listen to what he said though. He told me to not let this change who I am. I may not be the same woman I was, but I still believe in what Gerard was fighting for. I want to make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else. I want to help Overwatch."

"Are you sure?" Sombra asked. "You don't have to decide that now."

"I'm positive. I remember what Angela told me. I am Amelie but I am also Widowmaker. I remember everything about my life and I understand emotions better than I ever did at Talon. Yet I still know everything I learnt as Widow. I could use that against Talon, to help bring them down. Overwatch are heroes and the best chance the world has at beating Talon. I want to be a part of it. I want to help them."

"If that's what you want, then I'll be right there with you."

Widow smiled slightly. "Thank you Sombra, for everything you've done. Without you, I'd have never reached this point, never managed to get here. I feel more alive than I ever did at Talon and it's because you helped me escape."

"You're welcome Amelie. Now, try and get some sleep, I can see that you're barely staying awake." She gently took the touchpad from Widow, activating her computer and creating a large button on the screen. "If you need me for anything, just push this and I'll be right over."

Sombra stood and went to leave, however she wasn't able to get very far before she was stopped by Widow.

"Could you... stay? At least until I've fallen asleep?"

Widow didn't know why she'd said that and she felt a little silly for even asking. However, Sombra didn't seem to mind, turning and smiling at her.

"Of course I will."

She sat down on the nearby chair, while Widow rested her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes. Sombra remained sitting for a while, muting the sound from her computer and typing away, trying to find anything she could about Talon's next plan.

"Olivia... Can I ask you something?"

Sombra looked up straight away. If Widow used her real name, then this must have been important. "Sure, what's up?"

"Why are you helping me so much?"

"Haven't I already told you this?" Sombra replied, remembering her conversation with Widow back at the Talon facility.

"You did... I think there's more though. You've almost made it your mission to make sure I'm safe. Lena and Angela are being really kind and caring to me, yet you always make sure I'm okay and always stay by my side whenever you can. No one's ever done that for me since Gerard... I just want to know your reasons."

Sombra closed her computer down, finally understanding what Widow wanted to know. She stood up and walked over to Widow. "Budge over a bit."

Widow did just that, moving over slightly and sitting herself up against the back of the bed. Sombra sat down next to her, taking a deep breath.

"That AI better not repeat a word of this. It's... personal." Sombra said aloud, knowing that Athena was likely listening. In all honesty, she didn't care as much as she thought she would. She took another breath, before finally answering the question.

"Do you know what Sombra means Amelie?"

"It's Spanish for shadow, isn't it?"

"Yeah. There's a number of reasons I chose that as my name. One was because of how good I was as a hacker. I could find out anything about anyone without being seen. I was a shadow... I felt like a shadow, in more ways than one. After the Omnic Crisis, I was left an orphan. No mum, no dad. No one. Just me... alone. Mexico had taken a beating during the crisis and most of the infrastructure was pretty much destroyed, so the government had bigger things to worry about. In the end, me and a long list of children just ended up abandoned and forgotten."

Sombra looked towards Widow, taking one of her hands in her own.

"The reason that I'm helping you is because I see too much of myself in you. Someone without anyone else to turn to. No family, no friends... no one who loves them. At first I thought I didn't care, but as time went on and I started getting you to open up, I realised that I couldn't just stand by and let you be alone."

Sombra had to pause to wipe away some tears, that had begun forming while she was talking.

"I didn't have anyone to turn to, anyone that would tell me it would be okay when I was down. In the end, Los Muertos took me in... I ended up going down the wrong path, one that turned me into Sombra. For a long time I thought I was happy, I thought that I didn't need anyone and I was better off alone... Now... Now I wish I had someone, anyone. Maybe they would have been able to stop me before I was too far gone. Back at Talon, I saw that you had no one. You were alone, outcasted and made to do their dirty work. I didn't know what Gabe was up to at the time, so I thought you'd end up following the same path I did and become something you never wanted to be. You needed a friend. So, if I could help keep you away from that path, help you escape and become something better, then I would have done something right with my life. I would have saved someone."

Sombra finally finished, leaning her head against Widow. There was an uneasy silence between the two as Widow was left stunned by Sombra's confession. Sombra was always secretive about her past, so Widow knew it took a lot for her to tell her that.

"We're both a bit screwed up, aren't we?" Widow said, leaning her own head against Sombra's as she cuddled her.

Sombra chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose we are. Thanks by the way... for listening. I've never told anyone else about my past before... It felt... nice to get it off my chest."

"Thank you for telling me."

The two stayed where they were for a long time, simply sitting and cuddling. It wasn't something they'd done before, yet neither seemed to mind, comfortable with where they were. Eventually, Sombra realised that Widow had fallen asleep. She carefully moved her and placed her lying down on the bed, making sure that she didn't wake her up.

Once Widow was lying flat, she turned herself over, no longer aware that Sombra was present. Sombra quietly stepped towards the door and gently closed it, turning off the lights as she left. She made her way outside and took a breath of air, still surprised that she told Widow about her past. She made her way to a quiet spot near the ocean and opened her computer again, resuming her task of looking for anything that would tell her about Talon's plans.

Two hours later

When Widow awoke from her deep sleep, she noticed rather quickly that Sombra wasn't present. She didn't mind however, knowing that she likely had things to do. Widow rubbed her eyes and looked over towards the touchpad, reading the time. She was somewhat surprised to see that it was two hours later.

"I was asleep for that long? I must have been tired."

Before she placed the touchscreen back on the counter, she saw a message, that she guessed had been left by Sombra.

 _Hey_

 _Hope you slept okay._

 _Once you're up, meet me in the mess hall._

Widow placed the tablet down, rubbing her eyes again as she debated whether or not to just go back to sleep. Although the throbbing from earlier had gone down, she still had a slight headache and didn't really want to see anyone else right now.

Eventually, she decided to listen to the message, standing and slowly making her way towards the mess hall. Strangely, she didn't see anyone else around the base, yet she didn't pay much mind to it.

When she arrived at the mess hall, she was somewhat surprised to find Sombra and the rest of the agents sitting around a table, including Ana and Fareeha. Clearly they'd returned from wherever they went. Everyone agent had a bottle of beer in front of them, apart from Reinhardt, who had a mug of beer and DVa, who had a nano cola instead. Zen and Bastion were also here, yet they were sat further away from the group. Clearly Zen was speaking to the Bastion, so everyone had left him to it.

"What's going on?" Widow asked, walking over to the table and taking a seat between Sombra and Lena.

"Back in the old days, we had a habit of gathering around and having a drink whenever we lost someone in a fight." Reinhardt explained. "It felt right to revive this habit again."

McCree reached for a unopened bottle, one of many that sat in the centre of the large table and opened it, sliding it across the table to Widow. Once she had the bottle, Morrison stood up, raising his beer.

"To Gerard. A good friend, husband and one of Overwatch's best."

Everyone raised their drinks into the air, before they all took a gulp from them.

"Are you sure you don't want a beer?" Reinhardt asked DVa. "We have enough of them."

"I'm good thanks. I don't really drink that much to be honest."

"Nothing wrong with that." Angela commented.

"So, Hana's the designated driver." Lena joked, gaining some chuckles from the other agents.

"Well, I do pilot my Meka... so I need to set a good example."

As the agents all joked and laughed between themselves, Sombra turned to Widow, tapping on her arm to gain her attention.

"You good?"

Widow looked up at the table, seeing everyone laughing and happy. For the first time in years, Widow felt like she belonged once again. She couldn't help but smile.

"Oui. I'm good."

 _Authors note_

 _Hey everyone._

 _So I have a couple of things to say. Firstly, I hope you've all enjoyed the last few chapters. I think the story's going well and I still have more to come, so stayed tuned for the next chapter._

 _Secondly, I've been doing some thinking about the story as a whole, in particular the prequel to this. Some of you may have read my other story, which acts as the prequel to Human_ _. After much thought, I've decided that I'm going to make that a stand alone story._

 _Therefore, I'm planning to write a new prequel, called 'Everything Changes' that will explain the main events before this story begins. I'm planning for it to be a short story of about three chapters. One chapter will focus on Pharah and Ana, one will be for Bastion and one will focus on Widow and Sombra._

 _Although it's an odd move, I just think it'll better the story as a whole. Don't worry though, I'm not going to abandon this story. As I said, I still have much more planned :)_

 _Anyways, see you all in the next chapter and keep an eye out for the new prequel if you're interested in it. It'll appear at some point ;)_


	20. Party Crasher

**Party Crasher**

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Three days later

Things had been relatively calm at the base after Widow's memories returned. After a few more sessions with Zenyatta and support from some of the other agents, she was beginning to come to terms with who she really was.

Her equipment had also gone through some drastic changes as well, Torb doing some major upgrades and improvements while Widow recovered. She was now using the rifle Torb had adjusted and both her thermal goggles and grappling hook had been painted black, to go with her new outfit. Torb had also completed the new venom mine and it operated very different compared to Widow's old one. For a start, he'd put in a piece of equipment to make sure they didn't detonate on friendly targets, as well as a remote detonation. The most important change was the fact they no longer contained poison, instead they contained a knock out gas. In all honesty, Widow found herself preferring this.

As for her outfit, she'd seen the designs Torb and Brigitte had come up with and had decided on one of Brigitte's, since Widow considered that Brigitte listened more to what she wanted. While he grumbled at the lack of armour it had, he'd agreed to make it for her. Torb had almost completed it, yet it still had a couple of things he needed to finish.

Sombra had been doing her best to earn the trust of the Overwatch agents as well and had raised a few eyebrows when she willingly gave Torb one of her translocators. He'd opened it up and found out how it worked but also realised that only Sombra could actually use them. Still, the fact she gave one over helped some agents begin trusting her. She had also set up a number of searches related to Talon and she was constantly keeping an eye on her back door. Talon weren't aware she still had access to their systems, so she was able to see any new files they created.

After a few days, Widow decided she was ready to visit Angela and begin analysing the tech inside her. At first, Angela was a little hesitant, wanting to be sure Widow was in the right state of mind to do this. After they had a long discussion though, she agreed to start looking at it.

Now, Widow was lying down on a table, while various machines scanned her. Sombra and Lena were stood nearby, while Angela looked over the results of the scans. Once the machines had finished, Widow stood herself up and walked over to Angela, seeing a smile across her face.

"I take it there's good news?"

"Yes. There isn't as much tech in you as I first feared. There's nothing in your arms or lower body. There's a lot in your upper body though, mostly around your heart. That's what's keeping your heartbeat so slow. As for your head, there's some that's connected to your brain, however, it's not currently working."

"What do you mean it's not working?" Widow asked, somewhat surprised.

"Your files state that the tech in your head was only really used initially to control you and that it was part of your original conditioning. All it does is cause you pain if you fail to listen to them. After they were certain you were fully under their control, they deactivated it. They never bothered removing it though, just in case they needed it again."

"Wait. Couldn't they just reactivate it now?" Sombra asked, concerned clear in her voice..

"No. It's a shortwave signal. They'd have to break into the base and be in the same room as Amelie to do it. Even then, I could turn it back off again by sending another signal. However, since I've confirmed that it's completely unpowered, I could remove it straight away."

"Could we do it now?" Widow said.

"If you want to. Most of the things that Talon did to you were psychological, the tech just reinforced it. I'm certain that the tech in your head doesn't actually do anything, other than cause you a lot of pain when a button is pressed..."

"How long will it take to remove?"

Angela looked at her watch. "An hour and a half. Two max."

"Okay. Do it."

Angela pointed to one of the medical beds and Widow moved over and lay down on it, while Angela moved to a computer and began typing away. Sombra and Lena also moved to the bed, Sombra taking Widow's hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. Lena couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, as she saw the two smile at each other. She'd seen this before, with Angela and Fareeha, so she couldn't help but wonder if there was something more going on. She quickly pushed the thought aside though. With what Amelie had gone through, it would make sense that Sombra would be so worried, so she simply dismissed it as someone comforting a friend.

When Angela reappeared, she was holding the device she needed to inject nano tech into someone's body. Although it appeared similar to a gun, it was perfectly safe.

"Okay, in order to get that tech out of your head, I need to inject some nano tech into you. It'll make its way to your head, disconnect the tech from your brain and repair any cells and nerves that are damaged. The tech will then be taken apart and it'll leave your body."

"Sounds simple." Widow sarcastically commented, which did gain a small chuckle from Angela.

"There are a couple of things you need to know. Firstly, this will feel rather... strange. The best way I can describe it is that it'll feel like there's pressure in your head. It'll be uncomfortable but as long as there isn't any pain, you're okay. The second thing is that I'd usually have the nano tech flush from your body after a few days. However, since there's a lot of tech being removing, I'm going to have you vomit it out instead."

"Oh, wonderful."

"Yeah, sorry. On the plus side, you won't feel ill afterwards." Angela lightheartedly said.

"That's something, I suppose." Widow took a breath. "Okay. I'm ready."

Angela pressed the device against Widow's left arm, not having to worry about a sleeve thanks to the t-shirt she was wearing. A few seconds later, Angela pressed the trigger and injected the nano tech. Widow winced slightly but the pain passed quick enough.

"So how long will it take to start working?"

"About five to ten minutes. You can lie yourself down if you want to. Just don't leave until we're finished."

Widow nodded, leaning back against the back of the bed and closed her eyes. They opened again when Lena spoke up a few minutes later.

"So, I'm going to disappear for a bit, since I have a couple things to do and you don't really need me right now. If you're feeling up to it later, I'll go with you to see Torb. He may have finished your new outfit."

"Sure. See you later."

As Lena left to do her own thing, Widow began to feel the nano tech doing its job. She closed her eyes again, lying herself down as she felt the pressure build up in her head.

"You okay Amelie?" Angela asked, making sure she wasn't in any pain.

"Oui. It's just... uncomfortable."

"Try and take your mind off it. I can put some music on if it'll help."

"Non. Music doesn't really help me relax. Thanks for the offer though."

"It's quite alright. I have a few things to do, so if you need me, just shout."

Widow acknowledged Angela with a quick 'okay,' before she turned herself over so that she was facing Sombra.

"How goes your search?" She asked.

Sombra opened her computer, knowing that this was Widow's way of distracting herself from the pressure in her head. "Well, there's some interesting stuff about you that's appeared on the Talon database. Apparently, they aren't too happy that you're working with Overwatch now. It also seems that Moira has gone up in Talon. She's now running some major project, though there's nothing that says what it is."

"Have you found out anything about their plans?"

"Unfortunately no. However, I may have a way to find out."

Widow raised an eyebrow, forgetting for a moment about the pressure in her head. "Do prey tell."

"Well, I've heard that there's a party planned at Maximilian's casino in Monaco. Very fancy, black tie required. Turns out it's a cover and there's a big meeting happening. All the big players at Talon will be there."

"It's a perfect opportunity..."

"No." Sombra replied, cutting Widow off. "We won't get near enough to take them out. We might get one by sniper, that's about it. Security is extremely tight and anyone here would be reconginsed in seconds. Even if we got someone in, you'd need a bomb that's able to blow up the entire building to get them all."

"Not an option." Widow said, almost immediately. Ever since her memories returned, her priorities and morals had also changed. Collateral damage was no longer something she would accept and she was glad that Sombra agreed with her.

"Exactly. However, if we could get a bug into that meeting, we could learn a lot about what Talon's planning. Problem is that they've put thermal cameras all over the place. Even if I cloak my way in, I'll be detected before I get there and we can't exactly walk in through the front door."

"Why not?"

Sombra had to do a double take with what Widow said. She thought it was obvious why they couldn't. "Well, me and you can't do it, even if you cover yourself in makeup, since they know us too well. As for the rest of Overwatch, they've all fought against Talon a number of times. They know every single one of them."

"Are you sure they know all of them?"

Sombra stopped and thought. Then it came to her. There was one person that had never been seen by Talon. "Do you mean?"

"Oui."

"She'll never agree to it. She's not exactly someone I picture in a dress..."

"Then I'll make her look good in one. She's the best person to get inside that place."

Sombra thought over the sudden plan they had. She hated to admit it but it wasn't awful. In fact, if planed right, it could work. "Okay. Once we're done here, I'll go have a word with Winston and Morrison about this idea. Maybe they'll agree to it."

For the next hour, Sombra did her best to distract Widow. She opened up a game of battleships on her computer and the two played a few games. Eventually, Widow began to feel the pressure in her head reducing and she sat herself back up. Angela soon reappeared, holding a sick bucket and a touchscreen tablet. She passed the bucket over to Widow, who placed it into her lap, knowing what was coming next.

"Okay, the nano tech's done and I'm glad to say there doesn't seem to be any complications. So now it's time to get it out."

"Are you sure she needs to throw it up?" Sombra asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. As I said, I wouldn't normally do this but with the amount of material that's being removed, I'd rather have it out immediately than remain in her system for a few days."

Widow understood, giving Angela a nod and taking a deep breath. "Okay. Get this stuff out of me."

Angela tapped some buttons on her tablet, beginning the process. She then moved and sat down on the closest bed, while Sombra moved to sit next to Widow. The effects were almost instant and Widow moved the bucket closer towards her. Moments later, she threw up.

Sombra instinctively began rubbing Widow's back, trying her best to comfort her. Widow didn't complain, too busy throwing up to do so, even if she actually wanted to. After she vomited three times, Angela confirmed that the nano tech was all out and the feeling of nausea vanished. Widow was left breathing heavily and she had a strong metallic taste in her mouth.

"Can I have a drink?"

Angela walked away and soon returned with a glass of water. Widow rinsed her mouth out, spitting the water into the bucket and then taking a drink. "Do you need me to stay here for a bit?"

"No, you can go now if you wish. You might want to go grab something to eat, since you'll feel a bit empty right now. You shouldn't but if you do feel any pain, come straight back to me, okay?"

"Understood. Thank you Angela."

Gibraltar armoury- One hour later

After they'd had some food, Sombra and Widow split up, Sombra heading to the labs to speak to Winston, while Widow went to the armoury with Lena. As they arrived, they found Torb sat at his counter and Widow's new outfit hung up behind him.

"Ah, there you are. Your new outfit is ready to go." He said, picking the outfit up and handing it over to Widow. "There's a room over there if you want to try it on now."

"Merci. Any updates on my grappling hook?"

"I've done some repairs to it and it's not malfunctioning any more. However, the new cable hasn't arrived yet, so just be careful with it for the next few days."

She gave Torb a quick nod, before turning and walking into the makeshift dressing room. The room was small and had been converted for this purpose. No one complained though, after all, it did its job and that was the important thing.

A few minutes later, Widow emerged wearing her new outfit. It was a pair of black leather trousers, along with a black and red top and black boots. The gloves were now hardened, so that they would protect her in close quarters combat. She wasn't currently wearing them however, as they were sitting on a shelf next to her other equipment. Unlike her old outfit, this was far easier to put on and covered up her entire body.

"It looks good." Lena said, clearly impressed with Widow's new look. "Nice work Torb."

"Thanks. Is everything alright with it?"

Widow moved her arms, testing if she had enough space to move in it. "Yes. It's perfect."

"Excellent. Well, if you ever need anything adjusting, bring it back and I'll do it."

"Understood. Thank you." Widow moved back into the room to pick up her other clothing. With them in hand, she and Lena left the armoury, making their way towards Widow's quarters, so that she could drop off her old clothes. While she was there, Widow took the opportunity to look at herself in the mirror, twisting her body so that she could see the back of the outfit.

"He knows what he's doing, I'll give him that."

"Yeah, Torb's great. He looks after a lot of our gear and keeps it in good shape, so I'm not surprised he did a good job."

Widow smiled, happy with her new look. Before she could say anything else, Athena spoke up.

"All agent's please report to the lab immediately."

Winston's lab

Both Winston and Morrison had listened to Sombra's plan and frankly, both had concerns about it. However, they also knew that they needed to know what Talon were planning. As much as they hated it, this was their best chance.

"This is a big risk." Winston said, concerned about the risks involved.

"Trust me." Sombra replied, knowing that she still needed to win a lot of the other agents over. "I wouldn't put anyone in danger unless I was certain."

Genji was the first to enter the lab, closely followed by Zen, Hanzo and the Bastion. They were all sitting near the lab already, looking out at the ocean from the cliff edge, so it was no surprise they were the first to arrive.

Reinhardt, Brigitte and Fareeha were the next ones in, followed by Widow and Lena. When Sombra saw Widow in her new outfit, she couldn't help but walk over to her.

"Hey. I like your new outfit. It suits you."

"Thank you. I guess they went along with the plan?"

"It took some persuading but yes. I just hope it pays off."

After a short wait, everyone else arrived in the lab, Angela being the last person to walk in. With everyone present, Morrison gained everyone's attention and the room fell silent.

"Okay everyone, here's the short version. Sombra's found out about a meeting of Talon's top members in Monaco. We need to identify who they are and find out what they're planning."

"Why don't we just take them all out?" Zarya asked.

"Security is extremely tight and there's a high number of civilians in play. While I'd like nothing more than to do just that, taking them out isn't an option."

Zarya nodded, as McCree now spoke up.

"So what's the plan, Morrison?"

Morrison turned to Sombra. "Sombra. If you would?"

She wasn't quite prepared to be put on the spot and she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous with everyone's eyes on her. She slowly stepped towards the holographic table, pointing to it and turning to Winston.

"Mind if I use this?"

"Not at all."

Sombra connected her computer to the table and several pictures and blueprints suddenly appeared. The images rearranged themselves until one of an Omnic was visible.

"So I expect you all know who this is but if you don't, this Omnic is Maximilian. He has a major interest in Talon and provides financial support to them. He currently owns a casino in Monaco, which Talon is meeting at tonight. As a cover, the casino is hosting a party to collect money for charity. What this gives us is an opportunity to plant a bug and collect information."

The image on the holotable changed to the casino.

"The issue is that security has been tripled for this event. Guards are all over the place, there's thermal cameras everywhere and getting into the area Talon will be meeting at will be pretty much impossible, without being detected."

"So how exactly would we get into the meeting room to plant the bug?" McCree asked.

The image changed once again, this time to a blueprint of a small drone that looked like a spider.

"We won't need to. This is a small drone I designed back at Talon to help Amelie with infiltration missions. However, when she first came to me about her conditioning, I decided not to give them the plans. It's small enough to hide on someone's leg, under their clothing and contains a small, localised scrambler, that disrupts scanners and detectors of any kind."

Sombra turned to Torb. "If I helped you out, can you build one for this mission?"

Torb analysed the blueprint on the holotable. His reply was full of confidence. "Easily."

"Good. That brings me to the second issue. While I can direct this drone remotely, all access points from the outside are sealed off. This means one of us has to walk it inside. The problem is that I can't go invisible and do it, since I'll be detected by the thermal cameras. Amelie can't do it either because they'd realise who she is, even if she's covered in makeup. As for you lot..."

"They know who all of us are too." Lena finished.

"That's the thing. There's one person here Talon's never seen. I can easily put someone on the guest list and make a backstory for them. All she has to do is put on a dress, a bit of makeup and blend in."

"Wait. Talon doesn't know one of us?" Reinhardt asked, surprised by this. "Who?"

Sombra looked towards one person in the room, who was standing next to Reinhardt. Slowly, the entire room turned and looked at her. Brigitte Lindholm.

"Me? I can't do it!"

"Why not?" Sombra asked.

"I mean just look at me." Brigitte wasn't wearing her armour currently, so she moved her arms to emphasise her point to everyone. "I'm too... Well I'm too muscly for a start. I won't blend in and I'll draw far too much attention."

"That won't be a problem." Widow replied. "I'll make you look the part. Besides, you're not too muscly. You'll blend in, don't worry."

Brigitte looked around the room, feeling everyone's eyes now focused on her. She couldn't help but see her fathers eyes burning with anger. He hated this idea. If they had any idea who she was, she was dead. Oddly, he didn't say a thing, though Brigitte guessed that it was because he knew he wouldn't change her mind, even if he tried to do so.

"What if they realise who I am?"

"Then we get you out of there." Morrison said, entering the conversation. "I still want a team ready to extract you if everything goes to hell, so they'll be nearby ready to go. If Sombra's right, Talon has nothing on you. They don't even know you exist. By time they work it out, you'll be long gone."

Brigitte thought over this plan. It was crazy, risky and frankly, it reminded her of a couple of Reinhardt's plans. In the end, she realised that it was the best chance they had at finding out what Talon's were up to.

"Okay... I cant believe I'm saying this but I'll do it. I don't have a dress though."

"We'll handle that." Reinhardt said, confident in Brigitte's abilities.

"Very well. Any objections to this plan." Morrison asked everyone.

"Only the obvious ones." Torb mumbled, showing his disproval of the plan.

"It's settled then. Sombra, get to work getting Brigitte onto the guest list, then help Torb build that device. Genji, you're leading the extraction team. Pick a few agents to take with you but try to keep the number low. As for you Brigitte, I think there'll be some people ready to help you prepare. Dismissed."

As everyone disbanded to do their various tasks, Widow walked over to Brigitte, who was obviously a little on edge. Reinhardt placed a hand on her shoulder, trying his best to reassure her, before taking his leave. As he left, Lena, DVa and Lucio walked over, creating a small group of people in the middle of the lab.

"You okay Brig?" Hana asked, sensing that she was out of her comfort zone.

"Honestly, I'm a bit nervous. I'm more of a fighter, like Reinhardt. I don't know if I'll be able to blend into this party very easily. I don't really do things like this." Brigitte looked towards Widow. "Are you sure I'm the best person for this?"

"You're the only person who can do this. Believe me, I know what I'm doing when it comes to dressing up and putting on makeup. I'll make you look the part."

"Don't worry luv. Amelie knows what she's doing." Lena added, which helped Brigitte relax slightly.

"Actually, is there any chance you could help?"

Widow's question took Lena by surprise, yet she wasn't one to shy away from a challenge. "Sure thing. What do you need from me?"

Meanwhile, Angela had noticed Torb leaving the lab and could tell he wasn't happy. She ran out the lab after him, tapping him on the shoulder when she caught up. He stopped in his tracks, letting out a loud sigh.

"You won't convince me that this is a good idea. So don't bother trying." He stated, not turning around.

"I wasn't going to. I understand why you're so worried about her and I agree, it's a big risk... Yet, I can't help but agree with the reasoning for this plan. We need to know what Talon's planning. With Genji leading the extraction team, Brigitte's in good hands. They'll keep her safe."

Torb lowered his head and turned around. "It's not just that. I've seen Amelie around the base for a few days now and I can see that she's changed. It's Sombra I'm concerned about. Are you sure we can trust her?"

"Absolutely. She saved me and Fareeha from Talon. She cares about Amelie and helped her escape. I honestly think she wants to change."

Torb didn't reply immediately, looking away and thinking. "Fine. I'll give her plan a chance, though I not going to pretend I like it... Now, I better go make that device she needs."

Brigitte's quarters- 15 minutes later

Widow had just finished measuring Brigitte and had written down the size of the dress she considered she needed. Apart from herself and Brigitte, Lena and DVa were present, both wanting to help in anyway they could. Inside the room was also a large selection of makeup, one of the tasks that Widow had given them. The plan was that lena and DVa went off to find a dress, while Widow worked on Brigitte's makeup.

Once Widow had written the final details down, she turned to the door and handed the piece of paper to Lena.

"That's the size dress she needs. Try and get something sensible."

"Don't worry, we won't get anything too flashy." Lena replied, taking the note from Widow. "Be back soon."

Once they had gone, Widow pulled over a chair to the middle of the room and then began analysing the selection of makeup she had at her disposal.

"Do you have any experience with this?" Widow asked Brigitte, as she sat herself down.

"A little. I've put makeup on before but never that much. Usually it would be wiped off due to what I'm doing... I've never been to a big party like this before either."

Widow moved herself behind Brigitte and untied her hair, letting it fall free. "That wont be a problem. Just keep yourself occupied and try not to draw attention in the wrong way. You're going to a casino, so play a few games."

"Okay. I can do that."

Widow now walked back around the chair, taking note of the image of a cog that was on Brigitte's left arm. "When I get to it, I'm going to put makeup on your left arm to cover that up. Is that okay?

"Yeah, it's fine." Brigitte answered, already knowing that Widow was planning to do her hair first. As she found a pair of straighteners and began using them on her hair, Brigitte couldn't help but break the silence.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why did you decide to help Overwatch? You're free from Talon, you could have just disappeared. Why do you want to fight instead?"

Widow stopped what she was doing and thought over the question.

"You don't have to answer." Brigitte soon added, worried that it was a sensitive matter for her.

"No, it's okay..." Widow replied, returning to what she was doing. "Honestly, it's hard to explain. For years, Talon made me do unthinkable things. They twisted me and turned me into their own personal assassin. Now I'm free from them, a part of me wants revenge, to make them suffer for what they did to me. Yet that's not the reason why I joined Overwatch. Fighting is all I've known for years now, it's been forced into my blood... I can use what I know to help fight Talon, to bring them down before they can do this to anyone else... I feel like I have a responsibility to do this and I want to do it... for Gerard."

"I understand. For what it's worth, I'm sorry. No one deserved what you were put through."

Widow smiled slightly. She hadn't spoken to Brigitte until now, the two never being in the same room for more than a few minutes. Since they were here, she decided to make conversation, something that was a relatively new concept for her.

"What about you? You've obviously joined recently. What made you decide to help Overwatch?"

"It was Reinhardt. When he received the recall from Winston, I tried to convince him not to rejoin. I didn't think he owed Overwatch anything and that he was better off away from all of this. He didn't listen and we ended up parting ways for a bit. Papa told me a lot about what happened with Overwatch and how they put their lives into it, only for them to be pushed away. I didn't think they should have rejoined."

"You're father is Torbjorn, correct?"

"Yes, which is why he didn't want me involved with all of this. I was following in his footsteps and I was traveling with Reinhardt, helping him. He trained me to fight and papa was worried I'd end up hurt, like he was. In all honesty, I had no intention of joining Overwatch, until recently."

"What made you change your mind?"

"The stories. As Overwatch fought against Talon more and more, people started talking about them again. I could see that they were making a difference and giving people hope. When I was travelling with Reinhardt, we fought because it was the right thing to do. As time went on, my opinion of Overwatch changed. I could see that they were doing the right thing, yet I was still unsure about joining. When Reinhardt contacted me though and told me that Angela and Fareeha had been kidnapped, I finally decided what to do. I couldn't stand by while they fought. They needed help, so I answered the call."

Widow finished what she was doing and then began applying makeup to Brigitte, starting with some red lipstick. After 20 minutes, she was only halfway done when Lena and DVa returned with the dress. They knocked on the door and Widow quickly answered.

"Delivery!" Lena announced, as soon as the door opened.

"This should work. We'll meet you in the lab once we're done."

Winston's lab- 40 minutes later

At this point, Sombra had finished creating a backstory for Brigitte and had made her way to the armoury, in order to help Torb with the drone. Genji had selected his team, which were himself, Hanzo, Lucio and Tracer. He also wanted DVa close by, in case they needed some extra firepower, yet he hoped it wouldn't come to that. All of them were adept at speed. Genji and Hanzo were also excellent at stealth, giving them more options at their disposal.

Currently, Lena and Hana were in the lab and were waiting for Widow and Brigitte to join them. Winston, Morrison and Ana were also present, yet they were busy planning and analysing the information Sombra had collected so far.

After what felt like an eternity, Widow finally appeared, followed by a very different looking Brigitte. When Lena and Hana saw her, their jaws dropped. She was wearing a red dress, that fitted her perfectly. Widow had also worked wonders with the makeup and Brigitte's hair, leaving it down instead of tying it up. Lena and Hana were both unsure if Brigitte would look any good the dress they got. Now that they saw her in it, they couldn't deny that she looked stunning.

"Wow. You look amazing Brig." Hana said, as she walked towards them.

"Thanks. It's not what if usually go for though. I feel a bit naked without my armour." Brigitte joked, gaining a small chuckle from Lena and Hana.

"Well, this is a good look for you." Lena added. "Red is definitely your colour."

Morrison soon noticed Brigitte enter the lab. He picked up a note, that Sombra had left in the lab and walked over to her.

"Nice work Amelie, she looks the part. Now you need to know your cover story."

Morrison handed the piece of paper over, which had the details of Brigitte's cover.

"Your name is Astrid Larsson. You run an engineering business, called Larsson Engineering, with your father and make special modifications to cars and a few aircraft. Sombra has created a fake website as well, which confirms your cover if anyone checks. The reason for you being at that party is whatever you want it to be. However, Sombra suggested that you pretend that your company is doing very well and that you wanted to give back to society."

"Wow. Sombra really went all out for this didn't she?" Brigitte commented, taken back by the amount of detail she had in front of her.

"She always does." Widow added, thinking back to a few missions they did at Talon. Sombra always made sure that Widow's cover was concrete, so she wasn't surprised she did the same for Brigitte.

"I'll go with what Sombra suggested. She seems to know what she's doing."

"Very well. Get familiar with your cover story. In the meantime, Oxton, Song, Genji is outside with the rest of the team. He wants everyone there ASAP so he can go through the plan."

Both Lena and Hana nodded and Morrison turned to walk away. However, he wasn't able to move far before he was stopped again.

"I want to be on that team."

Morrison turned back around to face Widow. Back in the old days of Overwatch, he would have preferred this to be a more formal request. In all reality, he would have likely refused it anyway. However, Overwatch was different now and they weren't held back by protocol anymore. In the end, he didn't think he was in the best position to make the decision.

"It's Genji's team, so it's his call."

Morrison now turned and left, heading back to Winston and Ana to continue what they were doing. Widow made a move towards the door, yet she was quickly stopped by Lena, who promptly walked in front of her before she could move too far.

"Are you sure you want to do this Amelie?" Lena asked, concern in her voice. "I'm pretty sure Genji will agree if you ask but you don't need to feel like you're obligated to do this."

"I know and I don't feel that way. I want to be there. I can make a difference Lena. I can't just stand by when she walks into that party. Besides, I can keep her covered with my sniper and inform the team if they need to move in." Widow replied, motioning towards Brigitte to signal who she was talking about.

Lena nodded her head. She understood why Widow felt the way she did and why she wanted to help in this way. "I just wanted to make sure. You've been through a lot the past few days..."

Widow placed a hand on Lena's shoulder. "Thank you Lena, for being concerned about me. I'm sure about this. I want to help in any way I can."

Maximilian's casino- Monaco- 22:25

The party had been going for just under half an hour and guests were still appearing. Security was checking every single person who entered and each one went through a specialised scanning device. Inside, it looked like any normal party, with guests grouped up talking to each other, while some were huddled around tables, playing or watching casino games.

The Overwatch team had arrived over an hour ago and had split into three smaller teams. Lena, Lucio and DVa were just outside the city, standing by in the dropship in case they needed a quick escape. Genji and Hanzo had sneaked their way through the city and were now a short distance away from the casino. Widow had been with them for quite some time before she split away from them and grappled to a nearby rooftop. It had a perfect view of the casino front door, so she picked a spot, keeping herself out of sight and lay down, looking through her sniper scope.

"I'm in position." She said into her earpiece.

"Good." Replied Sombra, who was the person in charge of this operation. Morrison was also close by but he was simply watching over everything. "Keep me posted on any developments outside the building."

"Acknowledged."

Widow analysed the area, taking note of the number of security guards, as well as their patrol routes. They were very predictable and if she needed to, Widow knew she could take out a number of guards before they even knew what was happening. She also noticed Genji and Hanzo, hidden so that no one could see them from the casino. They were the closest agents that could respond if Brigitte needed help.

After a short time, a taxi pulled up near the entrance and Brigitte stepped out. She was still wearing the red dress and still had her hair down. The only difference was that she was now wearing high healed shoes. At first she struggled to walk in them, not used to wearing anything like this. However, she had gotten used to them now and was feeling a bit more comfortable walking in them. She was also holding a small handbag, that was a similar colour to her dress.

"She's approaching the casino."

"Don't fire unless her cover is blown. Genji, Hanzo, be ready to move on Widowmaker's word."

Everyone thought it was a little strange that Amelie chose the same callsign that Talon gave her. Most thought she would choose something new. She was very clear with her reasons though. One reason was because she wanted Talon to know who she was, to know who had killed their agents.

The main reason though was because she knew she was still Widowmaker. A part of her would always be Widowmaker. Her training and skills would never leave her. So she decided that the name should no longer be associated with Talon. It should become a symbol of someone breaking free and fighting for what was right.

As Widow watched Brigitte walk to the casino door and join the line of people waiting to enter, she began checking the guards frequently, making sure no one reacted to her presence. Sure enough, no one gave her a second look. However, as Brigitte reached the front of the line, she came face to face with a guard holding a clipboard. Widow tensed up, aiming her scope so that it was aimed straight at the guards head.

"Name?"

"Astrid Larsson."

The guard flicked through his paperwork, turning over two pages until he looked back up.

"Yes, you're on the list. Enjoy your evening Miss Larsson."

"Thank you."

Brigitte stepped away from the guard and inside the casino. However, Brigitte wasn't clear until she passed through the security checks. Widow activated her thermal goggles, seeing at least three guards in the doorway. Inside was the scanning device, that the guards motioned Brigitte to walk through.

"She's about to pass through the security checks."

"Understood. Activating jammer now."

Widow hoped that Sombra and Torbjorn had built the device currently sat on Brigitte's leg correctly, or this entire operation would be for nothing. As she passed through the scanner, the device came to life and emitted a quick signal, which disrupted the scanner and showed a false result. The guard at the screen nodded at the other two, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

"You're clear to proceed. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Brigitte gave a short nod to the guard, before walking inside to the party. She was immediately handed a glass of champagne and she took a quick sip. She analysed the room and then walked towards a table, surrounded by a small crowd. Someone was doing well and everyone wanted to see how long their winning streak would continue.

Once she was satisfied Brigitte was okay, Widow deactivated her thermal goggles and contacted Sombra.

"She's inside."

"Excellent. Widow, remain in position and inform me of any further developments. Everyone else remain ready to move. She could still need a quick exit."

Inside the casino, Brigitte did her best to blend in, watching some of the games while sipping on her drink. She even ended up making light conversations with a few of the guests, something she didn't particularly enjoy. Even if she couldn't be sure, it was difficult not to see everyone here as Talon investors.

After ten minutes, Brigitte excused herself and made her way towards the toilets. Once she was inside, she did a quick check to make sure she was alone and then pulled out a phone from her bag. She looked through the contacts and rang the number labeled 'Mum.'

"Hi mum. What's up?"

The person at the other end of the call was actually Sombra. She had a few spare phones at her disposal, so she set one up for this mission. Brigitte simply had to speak in a way that made people assume she was talking to her mother.

"Where are you?"

"At that party. Don't you remember? We discussed it the other night."

That was the signal for Sombra so that she knew Brigitte was in position.

"Good. Look around and try to find an air vent. It should be near the floor, next to the sinks."

She took a quick look, spotting the air vent seconds later. "Yes, I've got it."

Another code. Sombra knew it meant she found it.

"Right. I'm going to activate the drone. Place it near the vent. It'll handle the rest."

Brigitte lifted her dress up slightly, revealing the small spider drone attached to her leg. It was painted black and It wasn't too large. It could have easily fitted inside the handbag Brigitte had with her, yet it was too risky to hide it in there, in case the security decided to check it by hand. Even though they did no such thing on entry, it was still a possibility.

She placed her hand over the drone and it released its grip on her leg. Brigitte placed the device on the floor and then placed the phone back to her ear.

"Yes, I've got that too."

The drone suddenly came to life and Sombra took control. It walked over to the vent and released the bottom two screws, lifting up the panel and crawling inside the vents.

"Okay, I'll ring once I've got what we're looking for."

Sombra ended the call. Brigitte played along, giving a fake "bye" before putting the phone away. She then walked back to the party, once again speaking to some of the guests and running through the cover story she had. She even played a few games, though she didn't win anything.

No one seemed to pay her any particular mind and the guards seemed quite relaxed. Everything was going well and Brigitte was feeling more confident as time went on.

"I don't think we've been introduced."

Any confidence Brigitte had soon vanished, as she turned to face the unknown person. He was wearing a white tuxedo and even without hearing his name, she knew exactly who he was.

Doomfist...

 _Authors note_

 _Hello everyone. Hope you enjoyed this chapter._

 _As some of you may know, the prequel story (Everything Changes) has appeared. Since it's a work in progress, I thought I'd explain my chapter update plans._

 _So I'm planning to upload chapter 2 of the prequel next, followed by the next chapter for this story. Then the final chapter of the prequel will follow. That's the plan anyway._

 _Anyway, hope you're enjoying the story so far and see you next time :D_


	21. The Hidden Enemy

**The Hidden Enemy**

"I don't think we've been introduced."

Brigitte was face to face with the leader of Talon. A number of questions ran through her mind. Was her cover blown? Did he know who she really was? Had the drone been discovered? She had little choice but to put on a fake smile, hiding her lack of confidence as best as she could.

"Astrid. Astrid Larsson." Even though she was nervous, her voice gave away nothing. Brigitte raised her hand out, wondering if Doomfist would accept the handshake. "And you are?"

He did just that. A strong, firm handshake. "Please, call me Akande. I've not seen you here before. Are you new in the area?"

"My family are considering expanding our business into the area, so we're here looking into potential locations." Brigitte replied, sticking to her cover story.

"What is your business?" Doomfist asked, showing genuine interest in Brigitte's story.

"Larsson Engineering. We do special modifications to customers vehicles. So cars, bikes, vans. We've even done a few aircraft in the past."

Doomfist nodded his head. "So what made your family go into mechanics? I assume it's a family business?"

"Yes. My father was an engineer during the Omnic Crisis. After the war, he didn't have anything else to do, so he set up the business. It was only a small garage at first, then it grew and me and my mother became involved."

Doomfist nodded his head again. "It's an inspirational story. I think it's good to see the world moving on from the crisis and beginning to rebuild. I must ask, if you're here looking to expand, why made you come to this party then?"

"I heard about this charity event and decided to come along. Give something back to the world, know what I mean?"

"Indeed I do. Many of the guests have a similar reason for being here."

"Is that why you're here then?" Brigitte asked, as a she took two drinks from a passing waiter, passing one to Doomfist.

"Not quite. I know the owner of the casino and he's helped me out a few times in the past. So I come along to these events when I can." Doomfist paused to take a sip of his drink. "Have you had chance to play any games yet?"

"I've played a few games, though I'm not very good. Maybe I I just need more practice."

There was a small chuckle from Doomfist, as a worker for the casino walked over.

"Excuse me sir. They're ready for you."

"Thank you."

"You off somewhere then?" Brigitte asked, as the casino employee left.

"A private table for some of the regular customers and friends of the owner." Doomfist replied, though Brigitte suspected this to be a lie.

"I see. Well, good luck."

"Thank you. Perhaps we could continue our conversation later?"

"I look forward to it."

As Doomfist left, Brigitte turned and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Clearly, despite her concerns, her cover was still holding up. Brigitte decided to return to the games, trying her best to blend in after her encounter with the infamous Talon leader.

Meanwhile, Sombra's drone was making progress through the vents, walking towards its destination. As it reached a junction of four vents, it looked to its left and then to the right, before continuing along.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Morrison asked Sombra, as she directed the drone where it needed to go.

"Yes, I'm certain." Sombra said, as she opened up the plans for the casino on her computer. "There's a section of the basement that's completely sealed off, yet there's venting heading down there. Chances are that's where the meeting is."

As the drone continued, it eventually came to another junction, with one of the vents heading downwards towards the next level. Sombra moved the drone towards the opening and it began to walk down the side of the hole.

As it reached the bottom, Sombra couldn't help but be impressed with Torb's handiwork. Her original design never let her control the drone in this way and instead relied on a smaller grappling hook similar to Widow's. However, Torb had decided to increase the grip on the drones feet and it was proving to be an invaluable feature.

Now on the correct level, the drone turned itself around and began walking again. After a turn left, the drone came to another vent cover. Sombra moved the drone and began to unseal the vent, taking out one of the screws before she suddenly stopped, as someone passed next to the vent.

Once Sombra was sure they'd passed, the drone removed the second screw and then lifted the panel up, walking out of the vent and then placing the panel back in place. Sombra turned the drone in the direction of the passerby and was surprised at who she saw.

Reaper walked away from the drone, turning left when he reached the end of the corridor. The drone chased after him, Sombra guessing that he was heading towards the meeting room. This wasn't too hard a task, the drones black paint job meant Sombra could hide it in the darkened corridor with ease.

Eventually, Reaper reached a large metal door, guarded by two Talon soldiers. Sombra stopped the drone a short distance away, the built in camera and microphone letting her see and hear everything.

"Name?"

"Seriously?" Reaper growled back at the Talon guard. "Who else looks anything like me?"

"It's procedure sir. Name?"

"Reaper."

"Real name."

Reaper growled again in annoyance. Fortunately, Doomfist appeared before the situation escalated any further.

"It's okay trooper. You can let him through."

"Yes sir."

The troopers stepped aside, letting Doomfist and Reaper walk past. As he did, Reaper turned to the one trooper, giving him a death glare before walking on.

"I do wish you'd give the troopers less grief Reyes." Doomfist said, as the two made their way towards the meeting room. "Take those two. They're only doing their job."

"They shouldn't ask me dumb shit then." Reaper grumbled in response.

"Reyes, we both know why they're asking that. Until we know where Sombra is, we can't take any chances."

"I'm pretty sure she's nowhere near here anyway, let alone dressed up as me."

Sombra couldn't help but chuckle, as she moved the drone back down the corridor towards a different vent panel. She opened it and walked the drone past the guarded door. Once it emerged, the drone continued to follow the two Talon operatives until they came to a stop in front of a large, wooden door. There were no guards near this door and Talon clearly didn't expect anyone to get this far inside. If they did, Reaper alone would be enough to handle them.

Doomfist opened the door, standing to one side and letting Reaper through first.

"After you."

Reaper didn't say anything and simply walked through. As the door closed, Sombra managed to see that they'd just entered a large boardroom, evidently where the meeting was taking place. She manoeuvred the drone towards the door, using the shadows to keep it hidden. Thankfully, there was a small opening next to it, another vent that went up above the boardroom.

Sombra found herself questioning the number of vents she was finding. The reason they were meeting here was because they were concerned about her infiltrating the meeting. Surely Talon wouldn't be this naive and neglect to monitor the vents. Would they?

As she moved the drone into the vents once again, Morrison noticed Sombra hesitate.

"What's the matter?"

"It's too easy. Talon are meeting here because they're worried about me... yet they're not monitoring any of the internal vents. There's way too many in this place not to do that..."

Cautiously, Sombra moved the drone forward, walking the drone up the vent system and above the boardroom. Once she reached level ground again, she contacted Widow.

"Widow, is there any movement outside the casino?"

"Negative."

Sombra picked up an earpiece, placing it in her ear so that only she could hear Widow.

"It's too easy. Talon has the casino locked up tight so that no one can get in without them knowing, not even me. Yet they're not watching the internal vents... something isn't right."

Widow was silent for a few moments, checking over the building with her sniper. "Talon can be overconfident at times. If they think no one can get that far, they may not have thought about it."

Sombra moved the drone forward again, going slow while she debated what to do. All her instincts were telling her that she'd missed something, yet she didn't see anything that confirmed this. Perhaps Widow was right and Talon had genuinely not considered anyone would get this far inside. After a short time, she took off the earpiece and opened the communication channel to the entire team.

"I'm approaching the meeting. Stay sharp and be ready to move in if needed."

"Understood." Genji replied, on behalf of the team.

The drone finally reached a small panel above the board room, where Sombra could see down into the entire room. It was at the edge of the room, so she couldn't make out any of the files that were on the table. Yet this was as close as she could get without being spotted. As Moira walked into the room, Sombra began recording the meeting.

"Now that we are all here, let us begin."

"Where's the Vishkar guy?" Reaper asked, seeing an empty chair. Without Sanjay around anymore, someone else had taken his spot on the council. Yet they weren't here.

"Since the authorities are investigating Vishkar, we thought it best he stayed away for now. He's sure we'll make the right decisions in his absence." Moira explained, picking up the file in front of her and opening it. Inside were the contents of the meeting, including reports on planned missions and ongoing projects.

Doomfist now opened his file. "Firstly, we need to address the recent... security breach we've suffered. As you all should know, both Widowmaker and Sombra have betrayed Talon. We have confirmed that Lacroix is now working with Overwatch and, while we cannot confirm it, we can assume Sombra has also joined them."

"How did this happen?" Maximilian asked. "Sombra I can understand but how did we not realise that Widowmaker was about to go rogue?"

"She obviously hid any sign of her conditioning failing from us." Moira answered. "Evidently, the conditioning she received was not as concrete as we first thought."

"Even so, there must have been some sign that the conditioning was failing." Maximilian looked towards Reaper, who turned his head and stared down Maximilian in return.

"There was no sign. There were multiple people who could have spotted something, including Akande. If I'd seen something, I would have informed the council long before this happened. Despite what you think, not every person who's worked for Talon is brain dead, especially Sombra. If Sombra and Widow are both at Overwatch, then clearly they both planned this. It simply seems that Widowmaker wasn't as perfect as you thought."

There was noticeable venom with Reaper's final sentence, showing that he wasn't happy with being accused by Maximilian. Doomfist quickly interrupted, not giving Maximilian the chance to respond.

"I agree with Reyes. Lacroix accompanied me to this very casino shortly after I escaped prison. I saw no sign of her conditioning failing. She managed to fool us all. Despite how valuable an asset she was, she's become a very great threat. As for Sombra, her abilities alone are reason enough for us to be concerned."

"So, how are you planning to deal with them?" One of the council members asked.

"If possible, I believe we should attempt to capture them. Both are valuable assets to us and it would be a shame to waste their talents. However, if that's not possible, then they should be eliminated. Are we all in agreement?"

Everyone nodded, signaling that the first matter was decided.

"Very well, let us move on. The second item on our agenda is to bring everyone up to speed with Moira's current projects. Before she begins, I should tell you that I've put her in complete control of Project Indigo. She will decide if and when to restart the project as well as the procedures that will take place. Now, Moira, if you would."

Moira stood up, picking up the file in front of her.

"Thank you. Now, as you all are aware, I've been working on replicating Mercy's nanotech. This project was going well, until Sombra broke her out of my facility. Since then, progress has been slow. Recently, I managed to make a breakthrough. However, it yielded an... unexpected result. If you would all look at page three of the file, it clarifies what I mean."

Everyone turned the pages of their files, apart from Doomfist, who had already seen the images in the file. As the council members looked over the pictures, many of the members expressed shock and displeasure. It was only Reaper who seemed unaffected by what he saw, his face hidden behind his mask.

Meanwhile, Sombra cursed to herself, annoyed that the drone couldn't see the pictures clearly. She couldn't risk moving the drone any closer, otherwise it could be detected. She'd just have to satisfy with what she could get. From what the drone was able to see though, she could tell Moira was up to no good.

"This was a result of your work on the nanotech?" Maximilian said, shocked at what he saw. "Surely you did something wrong."

"Without Mercy, it is extremely difficult to make progress. This was simply an unintended effect of my research. However, I believe we could use this to our advantage."

"Use this?! Have you lost your mind?" Another council member said, in total disbelief at what they just heard.

"I can assure you I am sound in mind. The way I see it, Talon exists to better humanity by giving it new challenges. We all know what our ultimate goal is and why we keep attacking targets around the globe. This will give us the push that is needed to complete that goal."

The council was silent while the members thought over the proposals. It was clear that many members were not comfortable with what Moira was suggesting. Eventually, Maximilian broke the uneasy silence.

"If this went wrong, it could be disastrous. Are you sure you can control it?"

"I can assure you all that all further research will be done in a secure facility, far out of the way of any major cities. If there is any risk of this going wrong, or if the project is doomed to fail, I will terminate it immediately. Does this ease your minds?"

"Partially." Max replied, pausing while he thought over the proposal. "Very well. I believe Moira should continue this research, for now. However, given the nature of the results, this project should be monitored heavily by us. Regular updates."

"Agreed." Doomfist said, looking at the other members of the council. One by one they all nodded their heads, all be it reluctantly. Reaper meanwhile remained unusually quiet, appearing to stare at the file in front of him.

"I suppose if this goes wrong, I'm the one who'll end up clearing it up?"

"I thought you liked shooting things Gabriel? Besides, I will take measures to make sure that does not happen."

Reaper groaned slightly, placing his head in one of his hands. Eventually, he gave his answer.

"Fine. Mess with Mercy's nanotech as much as you want. Just don't be surprised when it all goes wrong."

Moira signalled that she was finished, allowing Doomfist to continue. "This brings us to our third matter. As Moira has already stated, Mercy's nanotech is proving harder to crack than we first thought. It appears we need more resources and new minds in order to work it out. Therefore, I believe we need a new expert on the matter."

Doomfist turned the page in the file, shorty followed by the other council members, to a picture of a young girl.

"This girl is Efi Oladele. She lives in Numbani and is a brilliant inventor. She has made notable achievements in robotics and artificial intelligence. Her most recent creation was the rebuilt OR-15 known as Orisa. Both me and Moira consider that she will be able to see something we are missing."

"She's a child. Are you sure you want to go down this route?"

"It's unlike you to care about anyone Reyes." Moira pointed out.

"I don't care. All I'm saying is that this won't likely sit well with some people in Talon. Not to mention that she'll be guarded by that tin can, as well as any person on the street who won't stand by while a child is taken. How do you plan to get her anyway? It's not like her whereabouts are known at all times."

"Fortunately, we are in luck." Doomfist began, turning the files page once again. "There's an event at the Numbani Heritage Museum in four days time which is dedicated to her. She will be in attendance, as well as some high value targets. I have already begun the preparations for a large force to be deployed in the city, which I will lead personally. If we aim to attack those high value targets, no one will realise what we're really planning to do."

"And the tin can?"

"I'm sure I can handle one Omnic, Reyes. Normally, I'd allow you to deal with it but I have another task for you. I'll tell you about it later."

"What happens when we're done with the child?" Max asked.

"We drop her back in Numbani. Despite what people think, I'm not completely heartless. I'm sure that with her talents, she will only be in our custody for a few days to a week maximum. Are there any objections?"

The council members looked between one another, clearly unsure about this plan. Talon had done many unethical things already but it had never kidnapped a child before. This move would likely anger the world even more. Perhaps that was what Doomfist wanted. They also knew that not everyone at Talon would agree to this. In the end though, no one raised any objections to the plan. It wasn't often that anyone objected to Doomfist. Why would now be any different?

"I will take that as a no. In which case, I believe it is time to take a break, in order to keep the party cover story in line. We have covered all the main issues, so it's only finances, asset information and recent op reports. So, I say we reconvene in an hours time."

The council members all stood and began to leave. Everyone expect Reaper, who Doomfist signalled to stay. Once everyone had left the room, Doomfist leaned forward, resting his arms on the table as he spoke.

"I'm afraid you won't be on the Numbani op because I have another task that requires your attention."

"Fine. What do you need?"

"Katya Volskaya. Sombra had something on her and it poses a risk to our ultimate goal. Volskaya is valuable and it would be very unfortunate if whatever Sombra knows became public knowledge."

"So where do I come into this?"

"I want you to go over to Russia, find out how bad that information is and what Sombra wants from her in return for not releasing it. She's currently away from her office, on some business trip and she won't be back for a day or two. Once she returns, I'm sure that she will be more than willing to talk to you, given your reputation."

"Volskaya isn't going to just tell me what Sombra has on her."

"I don't need to know what the information is, only how dangerous it is. If it risks her position, then we will need to act. This would also give us leverage against her, which would mean she'd owe us a favour."

Sombra couldn't help but feel slightly betrayed as she watched as Reaper and Doomfist stood and left the room. She hadn't told Reyes about what she did in Volskaya and had taken measures to make sure she'd covered her tracks. The fact that Reyes knew didn't sit well with her, especially since it appeared he'd told Doomfist about it.

Sombra knew that the financial information wasn't mission critical, since she could likely acquire that herself. Nor were the previous op reports. The longer Brigitte stayed in the casino, the more likely it was that her cover would be blown. So, she slowly began to move the drone back down the vents, back the way she came.

Fortunately, security hadn't gotten any stronger since the meeting, so she had little trouble moving the drone back through the casino. After slowly moving past the guards near the metal door and climbing back up the vent system, the drone was approaching its entry point. Once it was close enough, Sombra phoned Brigitte.

Brigitte was watching a game being played when she heard her phone ring. She quickly stepped away and answered.

"Hello."

"I got what we needed. Pick up the drone and then get out of there."

"Sorry, you have the wrong number." Brigitte hung up the call and moved back towards the toilets. They were still empty, so she was free to move to the vent. The drone stepped out shortly after she arrived, closing up the panel like it never used it. Once sealed, the drone turned around and looked up to Brigitte, making a small nodding movement. She picked up the drone and placed it back on her leg, hiding the drone under her dress.

With the drone hidden, Brigitte made her way towards the exit, being careful not to raise any attention. As she neared the door though, she was stopped in her tracks by someone calling out to her.

"Astrid. Everything okay?"

Brigitte turned to Doomfist, quickly thinking of an excuse. "I'm afraid I have to go. I just got a call from my father. He says I need to get back to him urgently. He won't say why but I can tell it's not good."

"It's quite alright. I can organise a car if you need one."

"No, thank you. I have a car not too far away."

"Very well, I hope everything is alright. Maybe we will see each other again some time."

"Thank you. Perhaps we will."

Brigitte turned and quickly walked out, hoping that no one would try to follow her. Widow soon had her sniper scope over her, making sure no one attempted to try and stop her leaving.

"She's outside."

"Keep her covered until she's clear." Sombra said.

Brigitte walked towards where Genji and Hanzo were, staying alert as she passed by the guards outside. Once she was far enough away from the casino, Genji emerged from his hiding spot and waved her over. Brigitte quickly walked over to him, Hanzo checking that she wasn't being followed before they all disappeared into the shadows.

"She's clear." Genji said, as Brigitte took the drone off her leg and passed it to him. "Intel secured."

"Excellent. Make your way to the extraction point."

"Understood."

"Acknowledged." Widow watched as Genji, Hanzo and Brigitte disappeared, using the darkness to mask their escape. Once Widow was satisfied no one was following them, she deactivated the sniper configuration and stood up. She walked to the edge of the roof and grappled down to the ground, keeping herself hidden as she slowly made her way back to the dropship.

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Two hours later

Once the team returned, a wave of relief swept through the base, most notably from Torb, who seemed to become far more protective of his daughter upon her return. It had been communicated over the comms that Brigitte had ended up face to face with Doomfist and had managed to walk away without a scratch. That in itself was a miracle.

Everyone was also amazed that Brigitte was able to simply walk out of the casino, with no one realising that she was working with Overwatch. Due to this, there was a lot of praise being given to Brigitte, as well as Sombra and Widow, who had both been crucial parts of the plan.

Shorty afterwards, Sombra took the drone to the lab and herself, along with Winston and Morrison, went over the data captured. Now everyone was in the lab, listening to the key parts of the recording.

"So." Torb began, once the recording had finished. "Talon's going after a child. Another thing to add to the long list of reasons to hate them."

"We need to protect her." Lena announced. "No matter what Doomfist said, we can't allow them to take her."

"Agreed." Winston said. "Athena's already confirmed that the event is going ahead. Assuming Talon keep to their timeline, we have four days before they attack."

"Maybe we should send someone out to Numbani and make sure Talon doesn't move earlier." Lucio suggested.

"The issue is that Talon would know we're onto them the second one of us turns up in Numbani." Hanzo added shortly after.

"Actually, I would likely be able to do that." Zenyatta said. "While an Omnic would have likely drawn suspicion in the casino, Numbani is accepting of my kind. Talon do not know I am here, so I could easily keep an eye on the young girl without alerting Talon to the fact that we know."

"That's not a bad idea. However, on top of this planned kidnapping, Talon's making progress with creating their own nano tech." Morrison added.

"How is Moira making that much progress." McCree asked.

"When we were captured, I was forced to write down how my resurrection tech worked." Angela admitted, Fareeha placing a supporting hand on her shoulder as she recalled her time at Talon. "They were forcing me to build another one of my staffs."

"But I destroyed it when I got you out." Sombra said. "So Moira would have had to start from scratch"

"Exactly. Even with what I told her, I don't know how Moira is making that much progress so quickly. The only way is if she already had..."

Angela went wide eyed, realising a crucial detail.

"Ang?" Lena asked, worried by the face she saw.

"My blood... Moira took some of my blood."

One by one, the agents realised what that meant. Angela's blood contained nano tech, which Moira now has a sample of.

"Moira is clearly using that sample to create her own nano tech." Morrison said, Angela nodding in agreement. "What concerns me more is what that 'unexpected result' she made a big deal of was."

"We don't know?" DVa asked.

"Moira didn't outright say what it was and the drone wasn't close enough to make out what the file said." Sombra answered, slightly annoyed that she couldn't get all the information from the meeting.

"Whatever she's done, if Moira's interested in it, it's bad." Angela concluded. "Everything she touches becomes corrupted in some way."

"We need to destroy this research as soon as we get the chance. However, considering all the security breaches Talon's had recently, it'll be difficult to find much information that'll help. For now, we need to focus on protecting this girl."

Everyone nodded in agreement at Morrison's comment.

"Athena, what do you have on the target?"

"Efi Oladele is an eleven year old girl who has made notable achievements in robotics and artificial intelligence. She received a grant from the Adawe foundation, which she used to purchase various parts after Doomfist's attack at the Numbani airport. This lead her to build her most recent accomplishment, an upgraded and advanced OR-15 named Orisa. While I cannot be sure, it seems like Orisa's main purpose is to protect Efi and Numbani, like the original OR-15's"

"It doesn't matter how upgraded this Orisa is, if Talon go in with a large force, it'll be a one sided fight." Reinhardt said.

Morrison thought for a moment, considering what to do. "Zen, I want you to deploy to Numbani. Try and find Efi or Orisa and, if you can, warn them about what's coming. Hopefully, we can warn her in time and get an advantage over Talon for once."

"I understand. I will make sure to keep a low profile while I conduct my search of the area."

"Good. Genji, Hanzo, you two, along with the Bastion, will be our first response team. If Zen alerts us that Talon's attacked early, you'll be the ones there the quickest. Hopefully that won't happen. Your main objective will be to assist Orisa during the battle and keep Efi safe."

Genji and Hanzo both nodded, turning to the Bastion, which was at the rear of the lab watching Ganymede. It turned its head and nodded twice, before it returned to what it was doing previously.

With that, Morrison continued. "The rest of us will prepare for the upcoming battle. Until I say otherwise, it's all hands on deck for this mission. Any questions?"

"What about Volskaya?" Zarya asked, worried about the possibility of Reaper going to find her. "If Talon are taking an interest in her..."

"Winston and I have already agreed to keep an eye on Volskaya. We'll discuss this more tomorrow, when we have more information. Right now though, it sounds like Talon don't have any reason to harm her. However, we need to make sure they don't hold her to ransom. The likely plan will be to deploy you to Russia to warn her about Reaper."

"Isn't everyone going to Numbani a bit overkill, Jack?" McCree asked, putting a cigar in his mouth and lighting it.

"We don't know the size of Talon's force yet. Unless we find out, we assume it's as large as the one which attacked Washington. Anything else?"

"I need my Raptora armour."

Fareeha's comment caught some agents by surprise, most notably Ana, who was obviously not happy. Before she could object, Morrison spoke up.

"We'll talk about that in private. If that's everything, Zen, you'll be deployed to Numbani tomorrow. As for the rest of you, I suggest that you get some rest. Dismissed."

The agents slowly began to make their way to their quarters, some stopping to talk among themselves before they moved on. The most notable group was Lena, Sombra and Widow, who had stopped to check in with each other. Angela had also stayed behind, wanting to be nearby in case the conversation between Fareeha and her mother became heated.

"Mum, I know what you're about to say. I'm sorry but I can't just sit back while the rest of you go into a batte, especially when you and Angela are involved."

Angela couldn't help but blush slightly, flattered by what Fareeha said. Ana meanwhile put a hand to her head and sighed.

"Why do you have to be so... adamant?"

"I learnt from the best."

Ana chuckled. "I suppose you did. Fareeha, I want to keep you safe. Talon taking you and Angela simply shows what I mean. I can't lose you Faree..."

Fareeha took one of her mothers hands. "Mum, I understand and even if I haven't shown it in the past, I'm grateful that you care so much... but I just can't stand by why my mother and my girlfriend go into a fight without me. Just as you want to protect me, I want to protect you and Ang."

Ana sighed again, looking over Fareeha's shoulder to Angela. She raised a finger and signalled Angela to walk over, something she did very quickly.

"Angela, if she goes into this fight, do you promise to keep my daughter safe?"

Angela smiled, not having to think about the answer. "I will. I promise."

"Fine. I don't like it but fine... Getting your armour is going to be a whole other issue though."

"Don't worry, I'll handle it." Morrison said, believing that he knew someone in Helix Security that would likely help.

With that, the three women walked away, heading towards their quarters. As they left, Angela tapped Fareeha's arm.

"Faree, does your father know you're okay? We've not really spoken about it."

"Don't worry Ang, he does. Me and mum discreetly sent a message over to him a few days ago."

As everyone now made their way out of the lab, Sombra stayed behind, intending to speak to Morrison. Widow turned around and gave her a puzzled look.

"I just want to have a word with Morrison. See you later."

Widow nodded, knowing what she wanted to speak about. She turned back around and followed Lena out of the lab. This left three people, Winston, Morrison and Sombra.

"I'm guessing you didn't know Reyes knew about Volskaya?" Morrison asked Sombra, while Winston began checking over his computers and setting them up to scan for information over for the night.

"No. I thought I'd covered my tracks and that no one knew. Hell, even Amelie didn't know until Zarya went for me. I have no idea how he managed to find out... If I'm honest, I think we will need to send someone over to Russia."

"So do I..."

Morrison trailed off, thinking about the situation with Reyes. He was very clear about them helping Amelie but this was different. It was Overwatch vs Talon business. No one could guess how he'd react. On top of that, if they sent too many agents or even the wrong agent, Talon would likely realise that Overwatch knew their plans. He needed to tread carefully.

"I'll decide what to do tomorrow. For now, tell me if you find out anything else."

"Will do."

Sombra turned and began to walk out the lab. Before she could reach the door, Morrison spoke up again.

"And Sombra. Nice work with the casino op."

"Thanks."

While Sombra and Morrison were talking, Lena, along with Widow, Angela and Fareeha had made their way towards their personal quarters, while Ana had split away from the group, going off to do her own thing.

"Hey Ang." Lena said, breaking the silence between the small group. "Mind if I'm a little bit nosy?"

"If you must be Lena." Angela knew this was likely a personal question and if she had to take a guess, it was something about her relationship with Fareeha.

"Have you and Fareeha been on a date yet?"

"How did I know?" Angela said, Fareeha and Widow chuckling as she rolled her eyes. "No, we haven't."

"We haven't really had the chance to." Fareeha added.

"Well, why not go on one tomorrow? There's time until our next op. The two of you deserve to spend some time together."

Angela and Fareeha looked at each other, considering Lena's suggestion.

"Now that I think about it, I can't really do much until my armour arrives. So I'm up for it if you are Ang."

Angela thought for a moment. In all honesty, she wasn't doing much tomorrow but still wanted to be around just in case she was needed. However, during the evening, no one would likely be doing anything, so she would be free then.

"Yeah. I'd love to. How about dinner tomorrow evening?"

"Sounds perfect." Fareeha replied, smiling before she let out a yawn. "Anyway, I need to grab some sleep, so see you tomorrow."

She leaned in and kissed Angela. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Faree."

As Fareeha left, Angela turned back to Lena, seeing a large smile on her face. "You know, you two are so cute together."

Angela blushed slightly. "Thanks Lena. I better head to bed myself. Goodnight you two. See you tomorrow."

"Night Ang."

Once Angela had left, Lena looked towards Widow, who had an eyebrow raised at her.

"What?"

"Are you this nosy with everyone's love life?"

"Eh, only friends really. I had this one mate who was really into this girl but he was too nervous to tell her. So, I went over and spoke to her one day. Turned out, she felt exactly the same and was also too nervous to say. So I played Cupid and got them on a date. Since then, I always nudge a friend who I can see is really into someone."

Widow chuckled at Lena's story, shaking her head as she did. "Remind me never to discuss my love life with you. I'll never hear the end of it if I tell you anything about it." She joked.

"Wait, you're attracted to someone?" Lena said, giggling as Widow rolled her eyes at the question. She knew Lena was joking, yet as she thought over the question, her mind couldn't help but start wondering.

"Amelie. You okay?"

Widow snapped out of her thoughts. "Um, oui. I'm okay."

"Sorry. That wasn't something I shouldn't have joked about..."

"No, it's perfectly alright."

"Are you sure? You seemed to go off into your own world when I said it."

Widow stopped and thought again. "Oui, the joke didn't bother me. Sombra helped me bring that part of my life to a close... but there's something else that's bothering me..."

"Wanna talk about it? My room's not far away if you want to keep it private."

There was a short silence, until Widow nodded. "Oui. I'd like to."

The two slowly walked to Lena's quarters, making light conversation until they arrived. Lena's quarters was very similar to Widow's apart from a few minor differences and some decorations that Lena cleary brought herself. Among them were a couple of framed pictures of herself with a red haired woman. Widow could tell that Lena and this woman were close.

"Who's the girl?"

Lena looked over to Widow, seeing her holding one of her pictures. "Oh, that's Emily, my girlfriend."

"How do you two keep a relationship going when you're working for Overwatch?"

"It can be difficult at times but Emily gets me. She understands why I'm doing this and always supports me. We keep in contact while I'm away and I go back to visit her as often as I can."

"She sounds like a great person." Widow said, as she placed the picture back down.

"Yeah. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me." Lena sat down on her bed, signaling Widow to sit down next to her. Widow slowly made her way over to Lena, sitting herself down as she tried to work out how to explain her issue.

"So, what's up Amelie?"

"I'm not sure how to explain it but it's about what you said."

"You mean being attracted to someone?"

"Oui... It's been years since I've felt anything like that, years since I've even thought about it so I don't know exactly how to feel... How do I know if I'm... attracted to someone?"

Lena thought for a moment. "You just kinda do. With Emily, I knew I was for quite a while because I loved spending time with her and I trusted her. She was one of the few people I was able to talk to about this." Lena tapped her coronal accelerator, indicating what she was on about. "In the end, I listened to my heart and it said to tell her... I'm guessing that there's someone that's made you ask about this?"

"I... I'm not sure..."

"It's Sombra, right?"

Widow's eyes immediately snapped to Lena. "How did you..?"

"I picked up on something earlier today. From what I gathered, you seem to be able to open up to her easily and you both look like you trust each other."

"I trust her with my life and she's helped me move on, helped me forgive myself..." Widow tensed up, unsure if she should tell Lena about the message. "Can you promise not to tell anyone this next part?"

"My lips are sealed." Lena replied, which seemed to make Widow relax slightly.

"She showed me a message from Gerard. He told me to move on with my life, to stop blaming myself for something I couldn't control... Sombra helped me through all of this and I consider her a friend... a good friend. Yet I don't know if that's all I feel or if I should be feeling this so soon after my memories returned... Is it right to feel like this?"

"Of course it is Amelie. You can't help how you feel. We can't live in the past and I'm sure that Gerard would want you to be happy."

"Oui. I know he would."

"So, if you think you're attracted to Sombra, maybe you should give it a go. Spend a little time with her doing something normal. If you still feel the same way, then listen to your heart and talk to her about it. You two seem to be good friends, so I'm sure she'll understand. You never know, she might feel the same way."

Widow thought over Lena's words, slowly nodding. "Okay. I'll try that. Thank you for listening Lena."

"Happy to help. I know this kind of stuff is something you've not dealt with for years now, so if you want to talk about this anytime, then just come find me. I'm more than willing to help."

Lena gave Widow one of her classic bright smiles, one that Widow couldn't help but smile back at. "Thank you Lena."

With that, Widow stood and left Lena, stopping to say goodbye before leaving for her own quarters. Once she was gone, Lena leant back on her own bed, a large smile on her face as she thought over the possibility of Amelie and Sombra in a relationship.

"Guess I have some work to do."


	22. Taste of Normality

**Taste of Normality**

Watchpoint Gibraltar- The next morning

The sun began to rise over Gibraltar, cutting through the small number of clouds that were in the sky. The trees blew in the gentle breeze, while the birds chirped away happily. The forecast for today was clear weather, meaning most of the agents would be outside, preparing themselves for the upcoming mission.

As the sun continued to rise, Widow lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling as she was consumed by her thoughts. She was thinking over what Lena had told her the other night, wondering if she should even entertain the idea of another relationship.

Widow wasn't really the easiest person to get to know, Sombra was well aware of that and yet the two of them had become close friends. Sombra had saved her life and their friendship was something Widow didn't want to ruin. Yet, as she thought more and more, she couldn't help but wonder if there was something between them.

Widow knew it was possible she had developed feelings for Sombra. Talon had sent her on a few assassination missions where she ended up seducing women and it never really bothered her. Widow always had a suspicion that she was bisexual and that suspicion was confirmed when her memories returned, now knowing that she'd had a couple of brief flings before she met Gerard.

For Widow, there was a big difference between seducing someone and having romantic feelings for them. If she wanted to seduce someone, then all Widow had to do was flirt with her target, flutter her eyelashes and use her body in the right way and they'd end up caught in her web. However, Widow hadn't experienced anything romantic for years now, so she didn't really know where to start or how to proceed.

The main problem that bugged Widow though was that she had no idea if Sombra was remotely interested in her, or if she was even into women. Sombra had never really spoken about her life before Talon and her love life had never been mentioned at all. Perhaps Sombra preferred it that way but it didn't help Widow decided what she should do.

Eventually, Widow leaned up, throwing the covers off herself and walking into the bathroom. She still didn't wear any clothing while she slept, so Widow immediately turned the shower on and quickly stepped inside, letting the warm water run over her body.

One side effect of her conditioning failing was her tolerance to warm water. Originally, her cold skin meant that it was uncomfortable being in any sort of warm water. However, since then, her body had slowly been able to adapt and she was finding herself turning the temperature up each day. It may have sounded strange to anyone else but to her, it was another small step in her recovery, another step towards normality.

While in the shower, Widow thought back to the message Gerard had left her and what he had told her. He'd said that she should move on with her life and find someone that would take care of her. Thanks to Sombra, she'd begun to do just that. Sombra had done so much for her and it was clear that she cared about her. So Widow wondered if this was what Gerard meant? If Sombra was that person?

Despite everything, Widow couldn't help but feel guilty that she was even thinking about this. Her memories had only recently returned and despite what she told people, she missed Gerard. Yet, she also knew that, if he was here, he'd be right there, nudging her along. That was an image that made her smile. Gerard pushing her towards Sombra, insisting she tell her how she felt.

Widow soon turned off the flow of water, stepping out of the shower and reaching for a towel. After she dried herself off and wrapped a towel around her body, she walked back into the main room, sitting on the edge of her bed as she found her hairdryer.

As she dried her hair, Widow continued to think over this matter. She knew she needed to speak to someone about this and while Lena would definitely listen, she didn't know the technical details about her conditioning. Therefore, she concluded that she needed to speak to Angela at some point.

Despite this, Widow also knew that she needed to be sure that she actually had feelings for Sombra. So, she decided to listen to Lena and try to do something normal with her. However, she had absolutely no idea what the two of them could do, without making Sombra slightly suspicious. Eventually, she stood up, placing the hairdryer down and walking over to the wardrobe. As she opened it and analysed the various items of clothing, an idea suddenly came to her.

She didn't have that much clothing inside, as the suitcase she had was packed by Sombra rather quickly. However, she knew it was a lot more than Sombra had, as she'd been in the same outfit for days now. Therefore, since she now had a reason to, why not try to convince her to go clothes shopping?

With a plan in her head, Widow got herself dressed, selecting a basic outfit of a pair of blue jeans with a short, grey top and then tied up her hair. Once she was ready, Widow left her quarters and made her way towards the mess hall, hoping she'd find Lena, Angela or Sombra there.

When she arrived, Widow realised that she was one of the first people up, as the mess hall was basically empty. However, out of the three people here, one of them just so happened to be Lena. She soon spotted Widow and waved her over to join her.

"Morning luv." Lena said, full of energy. "How are ya?"

"Good, thank you." Widow replied, sitting herself opposite the Brit. "How are you?"

"I'm great thanks." Lena said, as she took a sip of her coffee. "So, any plans for today?"

"Actually yes. I thought over what you said last night and you're right, I should do something normal with Sombra."

"Great. I guess you thought of something then?"

"Oui. I only have a small amount of clothes and I've not seen Sombra dressed in anything else since we got here. So I thought clothes shopping."

"Not a bad idea. In fact, why not ask her now?"

Lena motioned her cup towards the entrance and Widow turned around, seeing that Sombra had just walked in. The hacker made her way over, as a few more agents entered the mess hall.

"Hey you two." Sombra said, sitting herself next to Widow. "What's for breakfast?"

"No idea." Lena replied. "Torb and Brigitte are cooking something, so I left them to it."

Just then, Reinhardt walked up to the kitchen, peering inside to make a joke.

"What are you two doing then? Upgrading the kitchen?"

"No, just repairing one of the fridges after you walked into it yesterday." Torb quickly returned, gaining some laughs from the few other agents present. They all wouldn't be that surprised if the two were actually upgrading something in the kitchen. After all, since the two had united, they'd come up with all sorts of upgrades for everyone's equipment. Why wouldn't they start upgrading the other items around the base as well?

"It shouldn't have been in the way then." Reinhardt replied, as she grabbed two cups of coffee and walked out of the kitchen, sitting down next to McCree and giving one to him.

Once Reinhardt had sat down, the three women continued their original conversation.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Sombra asked.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something." Widow said.

"Sure. What's up?"

Widow made sure to keep her cool. "I was planning on going shopping today, since I want to have some more clothes to wear and I wondered if you'd come along?"

Sombra raised an eyebrow. "Why me? Why not Lena?"

"You've already picked clothing for me once before, so you probably know what works for me. Also, I've not seen you wearing anything except your one outfit since we arrived. So maybe it'll give you the chance to find something for yourself." Widow did her best to hide her true motives, though she was unsure if Sombra fully bought it.

"You just need someone to pay for everything and you thought of me, didn't you?" Sombra replied, clearly joking.

"Well... maybe I did."

Sombra chuckled. "Yeah, I'll come along. You're completely right, I have nothing else to wear, so it'll give me a chance to find something. Besides, it'll be nice to get out of the base for a bit." She turned to Lena. "Would Morrison be okay with this?"

"Don't see why not. I'll check with the big guy."

Lena placed her hands around her mouth, shouting to the gorilla, who had just entered the mess hall. "OI, WINSTON! Got a sec?"

Winston walked over to the table, saying hello to McCree and Reinhardt as he passed by them. "Morning Lena. What's the matter?"

"Is it okay if these two go into town today? They want to go shopping."

Winston shrugged. "I don't see why not. I'll have to run it by Ana first but I'm sure she'll agree."

"Wait. What about Morrison?" Lena asked, slightly confused why he didn't mention him.

"He left on a dropship with Zen and Zarya earlier this morning. Ana and I are in charge until he's back. He said he's collecting Fareeha's equipment, while the other two are being deployed on two different missions."

Lena slowly nodded. "Bit odd for him to go, ain't it?"

"He said he'd sort it. In any case, unless I say otherwise, the two of you are free to go out today if you wish." He said, motioning to Widow and Sombra.

"Thank you Winston." Widow said, as he smiled at her before heading off towards the kitchen. "It's settled then. Day out in the town."

"Looking forward to it."

Egypt- The Temple of Anubis- 12:20

The area hadn't been the same since Talon attacked. People were still on edge, worried about another potential attack, yet they had little choice but to be defiant. Since the UN had begun talking about the Petras Act, opinion on Overwatch had begun to shift. Here was a prime example. Throughout the area, people often discussed whether Overwatch were a good thing and if they should be reassembled. Most of the time, it was clear that the answer was yes.

The Temple of Anubis wasn't much different. Helix Security were on high alert and had been ever since Fareeha was taken. Morale wasn't much better. Most, if not all of the guards knew Fareeha, so her absence was unusual, especially due to the circumstances. The security forces didn't know why Talon had taken her, assuming that it was for her access to the facility. No one knew that the real reason was due to her links to Overwatch.

Right now though, everyone had their jobs to do. So they carried on, keeping their eyes open for any unusual activity. Fortunately, there hadn't been anything out of the ordinary and so some of the guards were able to go on their usual break. However, while most went to the on site break room for their lunch, one guard had a different idea, heading towards the locker room.

It wasn't agaisnt any rules to do this. In fact, the guards were allowed to do whatever during their break, so long as they didn't disrupt anyone else and remained on location, so that they could respond to any incident. However, this guard was planning to do something that likely would land him in a lot of trouble if he was found out.

He entered the locker room with a large duffel bag and did a discreet check of the area to confirm that he was alone. Once satisfied, he walked over to a locker that had been subject to a high amount of attention recently. The locker of Fareeha Amari.

He placed the bag down and looked left and then right one more time, before pulling out a small flick knife, pushing it between the door and below the lock. Despite the fact it was Helix, the lockers were surprisingly easy to open, requiring only a small amount of leverage to make the lock release. It was common knowledge that one of the guards had lost her key and simply used a knife to open it daily. Helix really needed to upgrade the lockers to be more secure. Then again, the room was quite far back in the facility and if the Temple was under attack, why would anyone be after the lockers?

Once the locker was unlocked, the guard opened the door and reached inside, pulling out Fareeha's armour and placing it inside the duffel bag. Once he had the armour, the guard closed the locker and locked it back up using his knife. Next was her weapon, stored a few steps away. The weapon racks were more secured and couldn't be opened by simply using a knife. Fortunately, the guard, like everyone else that used this room, had the key to open this door.

Once he had her weapon, the guard locked the weapon rack back up and placed the rocket launcher inside the duffel bag. With a couple of rounds already inside, the guard sealed up the bag and picked it up, making his way out of the locker room.

Now the guard cautiously made his way through the facility, keeping himself out of sight of any cameras and other guards, as he headed towards the entrance. He'd previously agreed to go for a coffee run for everyone and even though it was technically against Helix policy, the coffee shop was pretty close buy, so no one really cared.

The guard made it to the entrance and managed to get it without being spotted. Now outside, he quickly made his way towards an alleyway, just a short distance away from the facility and ironically near the coffee shop. He made his way down the darkened alley, until he met a figure, standing in the darkness. If he didn't have his red visor on, no one would be able to tell it was Soldier 76.

"You have what I asked for?" Soldier said, as the guard came to a stop in front of him.

The guard placed the duffel bag down. "It's all in there. Her armour and weapon. Even threw in a couple of rounds for good measure."

Soldier walked forward, picking up the bag before stepping back again.

"Remember our deal. I've done my part, so I want to know where she is."

"She's currently with Overwatch." Morrison replied, giving the information he'd agreed to provide to the guard. "That's why she needs this. She's helping them."

"Don't you mean us? You must be working with them if you're collecting her armour."

Morrison stared at the guard. "That's not part of our agreement. Fareeha's safe. That's all you get to know."

Morrison turned and began walking down the alley, hoping to get back to the dropship without being seen. Yet, he wasn't able to get far before he was stopped suddenly.

"You know, I thought you were supposed to be dead commander."

Morrison stopped suddenly, slowly turning his head to the guard, who had his arms folded. "Excuse me?"

"I'm former Overwatch. After it was disbanded, I ended up working for Helix, along with a couple of other guys. Even after all these years, I still recognise the voice of Jack Morrison. You know, a lot of the former Overwatch soldiers still talk to each other, some even thought of rejoining when the recall went out."

Morrison remained still, staring at the guard in front of him. Now that he thought about it, he did recognise the guard, yet he couldn't quite place where from. However, Morrison never addressed the matter, instead focusing on another detail.

"Why didn't anyone else respond to it then?"

"Well, for starters it wasn't really addressed to us. It went out to the agents, not the soldiers. The main reason though was because it was Winston. No offence to him, he's brilliant. The problem is that he just doesn't have the same authority... Add on the fact that Overwatch action is illegal and people just didn't see it working. Perhaps now, if there was another recall, more people would respond."

"Why? What's different now?"

"The state of the world. Talon's a big problem, they treaten the entire planet..."

"Someone always threatens the planet. Doesn't mater who they are. While opinion has changed, Overwatch action is still illegal. So, why would anyone listen this time?"

"People know Overwatch is there to help. That'll make people respond even with the Petras Act in place. Hell, if Tracer did the second recall I think people would listen. She may not have been part of the leadership but she was the poster girl of Overwatch. People looked up to her and frankly they still do. People would listen to what she has to say."

"Huh." Morrison didn't say anything else, turning to walk away. However, the guard spoke up one more time.

"You know what I think will really get people to listen though?"

"What?"

"If someone like Jack Morrison gave an order for Overwatch to reassemble. If he did, then I think old veterans and new recruits alike would rush to help."

Morrison didn't reply, instead just walking down the alley and disappearing out of sight. That guard had given him food for thought. Overwatch couldn't continue to fight Talon alone and even though the UN was talking about the Petras Act, it wasn't quick enough. Maybe it was time for them to call in reinforcements.

Gibraltar- One hour later

Sombra was always taken back by how well Widow could hide her identity. Right now, the two of them were walking through town and Widow looked complete different. Even her eyes were different, the contact lenses making them brown instead of gold.

This wasn't the first time she'd seen Widow like this though. The two had been on several missions for Talon where they'd hidden their identity. However, the two had never been on a day out together like this before. It was a new experience for both of them.

To be honest, the two were still slightly surprised that they had been let out of the base without anyone escorting them around. At the very least, they expected Lena to be accompanying them. However, Athena confirmed that the two were being let off base without any conditions. Even so, they still considered that someone was watching them.

"So, see anywhere that interests you?" Sombra asked, as the two of them walked further into the centre of town.

"Not yet. If Lena was correct, there's a place just around the corner." Widow replied, remembering a conversation Lena and her had just before they left.

"What exactly are you looking for then? More casual clothes? New dress?"

"I'm not exactly sure. I think more clothing in general. Though a new dress or two would definitely be a good idea. What about you? Any idea what you're looking for?"

"Not really." Sombra admitted. "I'm not great at all this fashion stuff to be honest. I kinda just grab whatever and make it work."

Widow raised an eyebrow. "Really? You seemed to do a pretty good job with what you picked for me beforehand."

"I took stuff from your wardrobe. How could I go wrong?"

"Perhaps. Though, that bikini wasn't mine and it did look pretty good on me."

Sombra sighed, going slightly red faced. "I'm never hearing the end of that, am I?"

Widow laughed. "No, never."

"I was joking when I put that in."

"Of course you were."

Widow chuckled at Sombra's discomfort. She really didn't mind however, glad to see Widow laughing and enjoying herself. After another few minutes of walking, the two arrived at the first store. It was a large department store, with a number of people coming and going from it. The two stepped inside and Widow quickly noticed a leather jacket.

"That was what, five seconds?" Sombra joked, as the two walked over to the jacket.

"What can I say. I have an eye for clothing."

Widow tried on the jacket, gaining an approving nod from Sombra, before taking it off and carrying it. The two continued to browse through the store, Widow picking up a number of items. Even Sombra picked up an odd thing here and there.

Eventually, the two ended up in a section of the store with a number of dresses. Widow began searching for something that spoke to her. As she searched, her eyes were drawn to a small, purple dress. She slowly stepped over, picking it up and analysing it.

"That isn't going to fit you." Sombra said, as she once again joined Widow.

"You're right, it won't. It'll fit you though."

"Excuse me?" Sombra asked, not expecting Widow to pick out something for her.

"You heard me. I think this will look good on you, purple is your colour after all. You should try it on."

Sombra blinked, taking the dress from Widow. "Um... okay."

Widow smiled, stepping towards a couple of longer dresses. She ended up stuck between two, a blue one and a black one. In the end, she turned to Sombra.

"Pick one."

"This one for me or you?"

"Me."

Sombra thought for a second. "Try the Black one. I don't think the blue will work that well."

Widow looked back at the blue dress. "You might have a point. Black it is."

With a large selection of clothing between them, the two made their way to the changing rooms, both taking a separate booth. Sombra started with the clothing she had picked out, trying each item one at a time. Once she was satisfied that they would do, she turned her attention to the dress.

She slid into the dress with ease and looked in the mirror, turning herself to see how it looked from all angles. Sombra couldn't help but admit that Widow had picked well. The dress looked amazing on her and the purple worked extremely well, actually matching with her hair. It was a tighter fit than she was used to and she took note of how it curved with her body, rather than sitting loose on her. However, she couldn't deny that she liked it. If anything, she liked it more than the red one she wore to Maximilian's casino back when she worked for Talon.

After looking at herself in the dress for a few more moments, Sombra took it off and changed back into her original clothing. Widow was still in the changing room, yet this didn't suprise Sombra. After all, she had more clothing to try on than she did.

Widow meanwhile had separated her clothing into two groups. Items she liked and items she didn't. The group of items she liked was far larger than the other, which was only a pair of trousers at this moment. After trying on another jacket, she decided it wasn't really her and placed it with the trousers. She then turned her attention to the dress.

Once the dress was on, Widow smiled as she admired it. She'd worn many dresses in her life, both before and during her time at Talon. This one called to her though, something about it agreeing with her. She decided in moments that she was getting it.

Once dressed in her original clothing, Widow emerged from the changing room, stopping to place the jacket and the pair of trousers on the nearby hanger. A shop assistant walked over shortly after, taking to two discarded items and hurrying away to put them back on display.

"How was the dress?" Widow asked Sombra, as they began to walk towards the till.

"Pretty good actually. It's a lot shorter and a much tighter fit than I'm used to but I liked it."

"That's the reason I picked it. I've seen you in a few dresses but they were all long and lose fitting. I was curious to see how you looked in a shorter one."

"Well, I won't deny that I look good in it. Then again, I'd probably look good in anything purple."

Widow chuckled, as the two reached the till and Sombra paid on a card. Sombra had a number of bank cards, all of which were used for day to day transactions. She never had a problem when it came to money, as bank systems were easy for her to manipulate.

"How much money do you actually have?" Widow asked, as the price became apparent. It wasn't cheap, to say the least.

"Being the world's best hacker has its advantages." Sombra whispered, winking at Widow when the cashier wasn't looking.

Once they'd paid, Widow picked up her two bags and Sombra picked up her one and they made their way outside, stopping so Widow could check her makeup was still okay. Fortunately, her identity was still hidden and so she only applied a little more lipstick.

"So, is there anywhere else you want to go?" Sombra asked, once Widow placed the lipstick away in her bag.

"There's a couple more places that Lena recommended, though I'm not in any rush. Want to grab something to eat?"

"Sure. Anywhere in mind?"

"Not really."

Sombra opened her computer, turning her back so no one could see her and found a map of the area. Widow walked behind her, looking over her shoulder at the map. There were a good selection of restaurants and bars in the area, so they weren't short on choice.

"What about that place?" Widow said, pointing to a restaurant that was nearby. Sombra clicked on the location and a number of positive reviews appeared.

"Seems pretty good according to this. Might as well check it out."

The two began to head towards the restaurant. They spoke about various things along the way but Widow decided she wanted to do a little digging.

"Olivia, mind if I ask you something... personal?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"When you told me about your life, you said that you had no one who loved you... What did you mean?"

Sombra took a deep breath. "Well, there's the obvious one, I had no family to care for me. I didn't really have any friends either, or at least anyone who stuck around long enough to call a friend. You're the first person I've ever opened up to about my life and the only person I've ever considered a real friend."

"What about... relationships. Has there ever been anyone..?"

"No. I've never let anyone get that close to me. Sure people have flirted with me in bars before but I never really payed any attention."

Widow lowered her head. "I'm sorry Olivia."

"Don't worry about it. It's all in the past now."

Sombra didn't say anything but she was very suspicious why Widow had asked this. As she wondered about it, she started to connect the dots. Widow had asked her to come clothes shopping with her and now she was asking about her love life...

"Wait." Sombra thought to herself. "Is she... interested in me?"

In all honesty, Sombra had thought about this subject before, quite some time ago. Back when they were at Talon, she'd considered the idea of her and Widow in a relationship but had dismissed it almost immediately. She was somewhat drunk at the time and frankly, she was still emotionless. Nothing would have happened.

Now though things were different. Firstly, both of them were no longer with Talon and Widow was a very different person. The two trusted each other and now that she thought about it, she couldn't help but admit Widow was attractive.

However, Sombra didn't really know how she felt. Widow was the only person she'd let this close to her before and she was the only person she trusted enough to talk about her past with. Sombra didn't even know if she was into women, though such a topic had never really come up before. Then there was the fact that Widow's memories had just returned. Even if a relationship between them could work, was it right to bring this up with her now?

"Olivia?"

Sombra snapped out of her thoughts, realising that they'd arrived at their destination. "Yeah? Sorry, I was in a world of my own."

"Everything okay?" Widow asked, slightly concerned.

"Yeah. I was just wondering what Gabe's planning." Sombra replied, thinking of an excuse. "He's still working with Talon so I don't know where we stand..."

"I'm sure he has his reasons for staying. Whatever he's planning though, I think we'll find out soon enough... Now, shall we go inside?"

"Yeah, we look a bit strange just standing out here."

Watchpoint Gibraltar

While Widow and Sombra went for lunch, Morrison arrived back at the watchpoint, stepping out of the dropship as it landed at the hanger. He picked up the duffel bag containing Fareeha's equipment and began walking towards Winston's lab, which had become the makeshift command centre for Overwatch.

He made it about half way there before he bumped into Fareeha, who was heading towards the mess hall. Angela was with her and Morrison guessed that the two had met up before heading to find something to eat.

"Fareeha, I have something for you."

Morrison passed the bag over to her and she unzipped it, confirming that it was indeed her armour, along with her rocket launcher.

"Yep, this is my stuff all right. Thanks for getting it for me."

"Not a problem." Morrison gave them a short nod, before continuing on towards the lab. Once he arrived, he found Winston and Ana inside, both looking over the intel that Zen had begun sending them from Numbani.

"Anything to report?" He asked, taking off his visor as he walked over to the screen.

"Zenyatta has been providing us with his recon of the area but he has yet to locate Efi or Orisa." Winston replied. "He also said that there's no sign of Talon at the moment, so we still have time to prepare."

"Good. Anything from Zarya?"

"No. She hasn't contacted us since she arrived in Russia. Katya Volskaya's still away on business but she is due to return some time tomorrow."

"Are you sure it was a good idea to send Zarya alone?" Ana asked Morrison, remembering what they had learnt from the Talon board meeting. "If Reyes turns up, she's going to struggle against him."

"I asked if she wanted backup but she was adamant she'd handle it herself. No prizes for guessing why. We just have to hope that if a fight breaks out, she can handle it. Anything else I should know about?"

"Actually, there is one other thing. Amelie asked if she and Sombra could go into town earlier today. I didn't see anything wrong with it, so I let them." Ana said, as Winston turned back to the screen, reading through Zen's intel further.

"Is anyone with them or are they on their own?"

"They're alone." Morrison went to object, yet Ana anticipated this, interrupting him before he could get a word out. "Before you say anything, yes I know what I'm doing. Amelie needs to feel some normality and giving her some freedom will help her adapt to life outside of Talon. She won't feel trusted if were constantly following her..."

"I understand Ana. As long as you think it's okay, I trust your judgement."

Ana smiled, glad that Morrison trusted her, even if he didn't fully agree.

Later that evening

For the rest of the day, the agents at the base went about preparing for the upcoming fight. With her equipment now here, Fareeha had also joined in, training alongside Reinhardt and Brigitte. Torbjorn had also taken a sample of her rocket launcher ammo, knowing her could easily duplicate it.

The only exceptions were Widow and Sombra, who were only just returning to the base. After they'd sat and eaten lunch, the two had continued their shopping trip. Widow was carrying a large number of bags and now had a good selection of clothing, as well as a few accessories. She was feeling quite pleased with herself.

Sombra on the other hand didn't have nearly as much stuff as Widow, though she'd still bought some clothing for herself, along with some makeup and a few other items she'd seen. The day out had left her with something to think about however. She'd determined that Widow was up to something, though she still didn't know if she was actually interested in her, or if she was just overthinking the situation. Sombra didn't want to just ask though. She liked having Widow as a friend and still wasn't exactly sure if there was something more between them.

"Thank you Olivia, for coming along today." Widow said, as they approached the gate to the base. They did one final check to make sure they weren't being followed, before continuing towards the buildings in front of them.

"No problem." Sombra replied, smiling at Widow as she spoke. "We've never really had the chance to just get out and do something normal before. It was nice. We should do it again sometime."

"I'd like that."

They continued to walk into the base, passing by McCree, who tipped his hat as they passed, along with Genji and Hanzo, who were busy talking with him.

"Good evening Amelie and Sombra. I hope you've had a good day." Athena said, once the two stepped inside the building which held their personal quarters.

"We did, thank you Athena." Widow replied. "Could you tell Lena I'm back?"

"At once Amelie."

Sombra looked towards Widow sceptically.

"She said she wanted to see what I bought. Said it would give her ideas, since I'm apparently good with fashion." Widow explained, rolling her eyes as she did so.

Sombra chuckled. "She isn't wrong though. Anyway, I'm going to go put this stuff in my room and then grab something from the mess hall. See you later."

Sombra left Widow's quarters, taking the very short walk to her own, which was only down the hall. As soon as she entered, her computer bleeped, signalling that it had found something of interest. Sombra placed down her bags and opened her computer up, seeing what the notification was.

Sombra's back door into Talon's system was still active and she was slightly surprised that Talon hadn't found it yet. They knew what her methods were and, if they had any sense, would be checking their systems over for any sign of her. Therefore, she'd set up her equipment to keep copying any new files that appeared, as well as flag anything that was of particular interest.

There were a few documents that had been flagged. She could tell that one was a communication between Talon and a third party, though the entire thing was written in some code that Sombra didn't immediately recognise. In fact, all of the documents were written in this same code and her computer couldn't match it to one of Talon's original codes. Clearly, they'd changed to a new code, likely a countermeasure to her intrusion software.

Sombra wasn't too worried however, knowing that she could crack it with a little work. On top of that, in the unlikely event that she couldn't, Athena would likely be able to help her. With nothing else planned for today, Sombra set her computer to begin decrypting the code and then made her way towards the mess hall.

Meanwhile, Lena had made her way to Widow's quarters, knowing that she was still inside. As she reached the door, she couldn't resist knocking a small tune.

"Come in."

Lena stepped inside, gently closing the door behind her.

"Hey luv. How was your day out?"

"It was good, thank you."

"Have you had chance to think about... you know?"

"...Oui, I have. I enjoyed today and Sombra did as well. I managed to get her to open up to me again. She doesn't do that easily..."

"She clearly trusts you then." Lena added. "So... has spending some time with her helped you work out how you feel?"

Widow stood and thought hard over it. "I... I'm not sure... Lena, how did you know... With Emily..?"

Lena stepped forward and took ahold of Widow's hands. "I listened to my heart and it told me exactly what I needed to hear. So listen to yours now... what's it saying? How do you feel around Sombra?"

Widow breathed in heavily. "I feel... safe around her. I'm able to be myself around her. I can open up and talk to her and she'll stop and listen, no matter what it is... She's a close friend, probably one of the closest I've had my entire life... She understands me... She makes me feel..."

Widow stopped, struggling to think of the right word.

"She makes you feel..?" Lena asked, seeing that Widow was struggling. Eventually, after a short silence, Widow found the word she was looking for.

"She makes me feel alive. More alive than I've felt in a long time."

Lena smiled at Widow. "Then there's your answer."

Widow slowly nodded, the reality of what she just said finally hitting her. She couldn't deny it anymore.

She was attracted to Sombra.

"What should I do now then?"

"Well, since you know how you feel, you should probably talk to Sombra about it. She could very well feel the same way. Has she given away anything which suggests she's interested in you?"

"I don't think so. I don't see her giving anything like that away easily."

"That's okay. People can be pretty good at hiding how they really feel. What I'd say is when you feel that the time's right, talk to her about this. I'm sure she'll understand."

Widow slowly nodded again. "Okay. When the time is right, I'll talk to her. Thank you Lena."

"Anytime Amelie. Now, I was just about to go grab something from the mess. I think Morrison and DVa were about to have a game in there, which I have to see. You wanna come along?"

"I'm not too hungry at the moment. I think I'll pack this stuff away first. So I'll catch up with you later?"

"Sure thing. See you later."

As Lena said her goodbyes and left the room, Widow found herself smiling, finally glad that she understood her feelings. Now the question was if Sombra felt the same way.

A few minutes later, Lena was back outside and had noticed Angela standing against the wall. She was wearing a beautiful short, black dress and she'd left her hair down. Lena guessed that she was was waiting for Fareeha.

"Hey luv." Lena said, as she blinked over to her friend. "All ready for your first date then?"

"I hope so. I was unsure if I should have left my hair down or tie it up though."

"Leave it down. It looks good that way."

Just then, Fareeha appeared from around the corner, wearing a dark blue dress that was slightly longer than Angela's.

"You look beautiful Ang." Fareeha said, as the two women kissed.

"Thank you. You look stunning as well Faree."

"You both look great." Lena said, interrupting them before they could say anything else. "Now, get going lovebirds. Go have a good time, you deserve it."

Fareeha and Angela linked arms, beginning to walk out of the base and towards the town. As they walked, Angela turned back briefly. "See you later Lena."

Lena responded by giving the two her classic salute. "Have fun you two."

 _Authors note_

 _Hey everyone._

 _So I have a couple of things to say. Firstly, sorry that this chapter took so long to get out. It's taken longer than I wanted to write this but it's finally here. I've actually split this chapter into two, as I thought it was getting way too large compared to the others. So the next one will pick up where this one left off._

 _Secondly, the prequel story is finished :D_

 _I thought I needed to write it, as it allowed me to clarify the events that happened before this story. Safe to say, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out,_ _so feel free to check it out if you want to :)_

 _Otherwise, thank you once again for reading and for the comments you've left. It means a lot to see people enjoying the story._

 _Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you next time :)_


	23. Date Night

**Date Night**

Watchpoint Gibraltar

When Sombra arrived at the mess hall, she saw that a single table had been surrounded by the rest of the agents. Everyone seemed to be here, apart from Lena, who was currently talking with Widow. Even Winston and Ana were here, taking a break from the makeshift control room that was Winston's lab. The only one not directly at the table was the Bastion, who sat further away but still observed what was happening. On the one side of the table sat DVa, while the other sat Morrison, each holding a handheld game console.

Morrison had spent some time learning one of DVa's strategy games, since the two had agreed to play some time ago. After he'd learnt the basics and formulated his own way of playing, he informed DVa that he was ready for her challenge.

"What's going on?" Sombra asked McCree, as she walked over to the table everyone was huddled around.

"Commander's about to get his ass handed to him, that's what." McCree confidently replied.

"You have that little faith in me McCree?"

"No offence Morrison but she's the best gamer in the world. You on the other hand started playing less than a week ago. The odds aren't exactly in your favour."

"Never know McCree." Lena interrupted, as she entered the mess hall and joined the rest of the agents. "Maybe he'll surprise you."

McCree just shook his head. "Yeah, maybe he'll last more than ten minutes."

"Ten bucks says you're wrong." Sombra said, challenging McCree to a friendly wager.

"Done." McCree replied, not even hesitating for a moment with his reply. After all, he needed to regain some of the money he lost on an earlier wager.

After everyone grabbed what they wanted from the kitchen area, mostly drinks and snacks for the time being, DVa set up the game and made sure that Morrison was ready. With a simple nod of his head, the game began.

The aim of the game was simple. Destroy all enemy bases to win. They could build three types of units, ground, air and infantry. There was also a specialist unit and an ultra unit, which was one of the most powerful that could be deployed. Due to the type of match this was, no one was expecting either to produce an ultra unit.

Some ground rules had been layed down for for the spectators. No one was allowed to give away what either player was doing and no one was allowed to give their opinion on what either should do. It was DVa versus Morrison after all, not two teams of Overwatch agents.

The two began as everyone expected, quickly building up their first base and producing units for their armies. However, it was DVa who moved her forces first, claiming a second base a minute later and beginning to build it up. Morrison on the other hand was moving at a slower pace, preferring to build up his forces first before moving out to the second base.

Lena recognised the map they were playing on, thanks to the few games she'd played agaisnt Hana. It had five locations for bases, including the two starting bases and each one had a small amount of AI controlled forces which occupied the location. They had to be cleared out and a building had to be destroyed before the base could be built. Lena took a walk around the table to see what each player was doing. It was clear from her strategy that Hana was taking risks, producing units as quickly as possible and only having one primary base that produced her units. Morrison on the other hand was moving slower, fortifying his bases and preparing for a longer fight, while creating more units at both his bases.

After five minutes, the two players met in the middle of the map. DVa went for her third base first, clearing out the AI controlled forces with ease. However, as soon as she began claiming the base site, Morrison moved in and the fight began.

Morrison had clearly been practicing, as the fight was not as one sided as some people thought it would be. Both players lost units but in the end, DVa had the upper hand, anticipating what Morrison would do. She won the fight and claimed her third base, setting it up as quickly as possible and then pushing forward to Morrison's nearest base. However, it quickly became apparent that Morrison had pushed his forces forward to slow DVa down, giving him the chance to build up his defences. The attacking force was not enough to destroy the base and DVa had no choice but to fall back to build up her forces again. This gave Morrison the time he needed to rebuild his army.

"That's ten minutes." Sombra announced, prompting a sigh from McCree.

"A deal's a deal." He reluctantly reached into his pocket and passed over some money.

Meanwhile, DVa had reinforced her army and pushed forward, attacking Morrison's secondary base again. It had been well fortified, with a number of upgrades and turrets. It took DVa some time to weaken the base, having to destroy the turrets first before she could focus on the base itself. However, Morrison wasn't prepared to lose this base so easily and he moved his forces into play. The two armies clashed, both sides taking heavy losses. In the end, both ended up down to their infantry units and DVa was once again forced to withdraw.

Despite that fact that she'd failed to destroy the base twice now, DVa's aggressive strategy was working. She was whittling down her opponent bit by bit. However, Morrison's defensive strategy was slowing her down a lot, giving him time to produce better units.

Both players now began building their armies up again, this time making their specialist units as well. These units gave pre-selected bonuses to the other forces around them. DVa had selected an offence buff, while Morrison had selected a defensive buff.

At this point, Widow joined everyone in the mess hall, walking over to the table and standing next to Sombra and Lena. She already knew what was happening, thanks to Lena mentioning it to her earlier.

"Who's winning?" She asked Sombra, as Lena began a second journey around the table.

"At the moment, she is. Though he's not doing too bad."

After a short time, DVa pushed forward once more, attacking Morrison's base again. Some repairs had been done, yet there was still damage remaining. The battle was long, with both sides gaining the upper hand at one point. In the end, the tide began to turn in DVa's favour once again and Morrison began to fall his forces back.

DVa's ignored the retreating enemy forces, instead focusing on the now defenceless base. It soon fell and DVa waited the mandatory fifteen seconds before she began claiming her fourth base. It now seemed as if DVa was on her way to another victory, feeling slightly disappointed that the game, while challenging at times, had been quite simple in reality.

"Base under attack!"

The alert from the game took DVa completely by surprise. The alert showed that something was attacking her primary base. When she moved back to see what it was, she was completely shocked at what she saw.

At her main base was an ultra unit, Morrison's ultra unit to be precise and it was making quick work of destroying the base. DVa was forced to fall back, desperately trying to get back to her primary base in time. Yet it was no use. She was too far away and the ultra unit was able to destroy the base before her forces could return.

On top of that, Morrison pressed his advantage, moving the remainder of his original army forward again and destroying DVa's recently claimed base. Now she had no choice but to start re-organising one of her other bases, trying to produce units as quickly as possible. However, the tide of battle had turned against her and Morrison's ultra unit soon appeared at its second target, her secondary base and destroyed it with very little opposition.

Now DVa had only one base left and simply could not produce enough units quick enough. She was surrounded by Morrison's army on one side and his ultra unit on the other. She put up a good fight, yet it was no use. The remaining units she had soon fell and the base was destroyed soon after.

Morrison couldn't help but chuckle as everyone, including DVa, was left stunned by the result.

"Well. Now I've seen everything." Torb muttered, still shocked by the unexpected result.

DVa looked over the endgame results, seeing exactly what Morrison had done. He'd kept her occupied long enough so that she didn't notice he'd deployed an ultra unit. He'd managed to sneak it past her forces, which was a difficult task in itself and, once she'd taken all but one of his bases, he made it attack her primary base. That, along with her aggressive strategy, meant that she had no way of stopping it.

"Nicely done." She admitted, standing and offering a handshake, a gesture Morrison accepted. "Not often I'm taken by surprise like that."

"I still have a few tricks up my sleeves." He said, stepping away from the table slightly.

"You've played before, haven't you?"

"Not this game, though I did play quite a bit before I joined the military. Next time, try not to be too aggressive. You left your bases practically undefended."

DVa folded her arms. "I'll be sure to do that."

The group of agents began to separate, each one moving to a different table before deciding what to eat. Genji and Hanzo took one table, Genji waving over the Bastion to join them, which it did. Mei sat down with Hana and Lucio and they were soon joined by Brigitte. McCree, Reinhardt and Torb took a moment to congratulate Morrison on his victory, Reinhardt making fun of McCree and Torb for their lack of faith in him. They then sat with Morrison, Ana and Winston and ending up talking about old times.

"That game looked familiar..." Widow said to Sombra, as they joined Lena on another table.

"Probably because you've seen me playing it before." Sombra replied, opening up her computer and showing Widow the game in question.

"You have games on that thing?" Lena asked.

"Of course I do. Talon didn't have much in the way of entertainment at their bases. Well, other than reading through every secret file they had."

"Watch out, if Hana realises she'll definitely ask you to play against her."

Sombra shrugged. "I probably would if I'm honest."

Widow turned to Sombra. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Would you really like me to answer that?"

"Oh come on, I wouldn't cheat."

Widow raised an eyebrow. "What was it you said to me? Oh that's right. Where's the fun in playing fair?"

"That was a completely different situation."

Widow simply shook her head, chuckling as she stood up. "No it wasn't. I'm going to go make myself something. Want me to bring you anything?"

"Surprise me."

"So an empty plate."

Sombra rolled her eyes, while Lena couldn't help but giggle. "Surprise me with something nice."

"Okay. What about you Lena?"

"Oh, don't worry about me luv. I'll make myself something later."

Widow nodded and began walking to the kitchen area, stopping briefly to speak to Ana. Once she was away, Sombra turned to Lena.

"She's picking up your jokey attitude."

"Better than picking up a grumpy attitude."

Sombra smiled. "Suppose it is... Lena, mind if I ask you something?"

"Sure. What's up?"

Sombra paused for a brief moment before replying. "Have you noticed if Amelie's been acting a bit... strange recently?"

"What do you mean strange?"

"When we were out today, she asked me a few questions that were rather... specific."

"Maybe she just wants to get to know you more."

"Maybe, though I think she's up to something. Did she mention anything when you went to see her earlier?"

"No, nothing."

Sombra was very suspicious that Lena wasn't telling her something. She knew that Widow trusted Lena and would open up to her.

"What did you want to talk to her about earlier then?" Sombra asked Lena, remebering full well the reason Widow had told her earlier.

"Oh, I just wanted to make sure she was settling in okay."

"Really? She said you wanted to see what she'd bought."

"Yeah, I did. I'm nosy like that."

"Did you like that blue dress she got?"

"Yeah, it looked good."

"Did it? Strange, Amelie didn't buy a blue dress."

Lena began to stumble, realising that Sombra was on to her. "Um... did you say blue? I thought you said black."

"What are you hiding?"

Lena sighed, glancing over to the kitchen to make sure Widow wasn't on her way back. "Promise not to tell Amelie I said this."

"Is it serious?"

"No no, nothing like that..." Lena wondered how best to explain this to Sombra. "She's been thinking recently... about how she feels..."

When Lena went silent, Sombra pushed her for an explanation.

"Okay. So why is she keeping it a secret from me?" She asked.

"How she feels... about you?"

"Wait. You mean..?"

"Yeah. She likes you."

Sombra leaned back, placing her chin in a hand as she thought over what she'd just been told. Her earlier suspicion was correct. Now the question was how to proceed.

"I'm guessing you don't feel the same?" Lena cautiously asked, not quite sure what to make of Sombra's reaction.

"I... after everything that's happened to her, I can't." Sombra replied, checking to see if Widow was returning and looking back to Lena when she didn't see her.

"Why not? If you feel the same way, why not tell her?"

Sombra stopped to think. "She's been through a lot. First being kidnapped by Talon, then losing her memories and being conditioned into an assassin. Now she just got those memories back and she's trying to rebuild her life... I can't help but feel like I'd be taking advantage of her."

There was one more thing that Sombra didn't reveal. Reaper. He trusted her to look after Widow, to keep her safe and out of Talon's hands. She had no idea how he'd react if they ended up together. Maybe he'd be okay with it, or maybe he'd be furious at her.

"What? Of course you're not taking advantage of her." Lena quickly said, taking hold of one of Sombra's hands. "I'm betting you've known her for quite some time now and Amelie clearly trusts you. So just talk to her about it. Trust me, she'll understand."

Sombra didn't respond, letting out an audible breath before replying. "I... I don't know."

"Okay. So how do you feel about her? Is there any chemistry between the two of you?"

Sombra sat and thought deeply over Lena's questions. She didn't usually talk about her personal affairs with anyone. It was just the way she was. However, this time was different. She needed to talk this through with someone and clearly Lena was that person.

"Well, I cant deny that Amelie's good looking."

Lena looked at Sombra sceptically. "Just good looking?"

"Fine, she looks amazing. As for chemistry... I know she trusts me and I trust her. I've opened up to her and told her things I've never said to anyone else... but me and her... I don't know if it would even work."

"You won't know unless you try."

Sombra let out another breath. "True, I won't... Why am I telling you all of this?"

Lena simply giggled. "Dunno. People just seem to open up to me. What do you think then? Are you going to talk to her about this?"

"I'll think about it. If anything does happen, I want Amelie to be sure it's what she wants."

Russia- Volskaya Industries

A black car drove up to the entrance of the factory, watched over by a number of security guards. Once the car came to a halt, one guard stepped over to open the door and out stepped Katya Volskaya.

The reason for her return was Zarya. While she was still on her business trip, Zarya had contacted her and informed her that she needed to speak to her urgently, along with a warning that her life could very well be in danger. For that reason, she'd travelled back to the factory and ordered the entire place to be sweeped for intruders before her arrival. Thankfully, the security had found nothing.

"Welcome back, Miss Volskaya." The guard said, as katya left her car.

"Where is sergeant Zaryanova?" She bluntly said, getting straight to the point.

"She's just beyond the entrance."

Katya nodded at the guard, quickly walking inside and finding Zarya. She couldn't help but be slightly unsettled by the sight of the weightlifter holding her weapon.

"Expecting trouble?"

"It never hurts to be prepared, especially when Talon is involved." Zarya said, checking the area around them. "We should head inside."

The two began walking into the factory, heading towards Katya's office. As they walked through the facility, they saw a number of security guards, each one assigned to a particular area. They reached the elevator and, as it began moving upwards, Katya broke the silence.

"So, I assume Sombra told Talon then?" Katya asked, guessing the reason Zarya was so on edge.

"No. She no longer has the information. However, she acted alone and Talon found out that she'd blackmailed you. Now they want to know what she knew." Zarya replied, as the elevator reached its destination and the two continue to head towards Katya's office.

"They don't know?"

"No, Sombra kept the information to herself and now Talon wants to know what it is. They've sent one of their best to accomplish this and I'm here to protect you from them."

"Who did they send?"

Zarya didn't have the chance to reply, as a guard came running up to them. "Ma'am, there's an unknown aircraft flying towards the facility."

Zarya immediately took control of the situation.

"Defensive positions. I will protect Volskaya in her office."

The guard acknowledged Zarya's order, running off while relaying what he'd been told on his radio. Meanwhile, Zarya and Katya ran to the office, quickly getting inside and sealing the doors.

"Who did Talon send?" Katya asked Zarya again, once she'd caught her breath.

"They sent..."

Zarya once again wasn't able to answer, as a black cloud began swirling behind Katya's desk. She moved forward and pushed Katya behind her, as Reaper revealed himself.

Both Reaper and Zarya raised their weapons, Reaper being the faster of the two and fired off a shot. Zarya activated her personal shield, taking the impact from the shotgun and converting it into energy for her weapon. As the shield around her disappeared, Zarya returned fired at Reaper, who turned himself back into black smoke and moved behind Zarya, raising his weapons again and firing at her.

Her shields managed to take the initial few shots and she managed to hit Reaper with her primary fire. However, Reaper wasn't stopping, seemingly unphased by her attack. In the end, Zarya was forced backwards, as her shields failed from the amount of fire she was taking.

She was out of options, with no shields and no where to run for cover. She raised her weapon in front of her, managing to take some of the impact from Reaper's attacks. It still wasn't enough though and Zarya knew she had no other options left. She flung her weapon forward at Reaper, who had to enter wraith form in order to avoid it impacting him.

As Reaper left wraith form, he was now running out of patience. He raised his left shotgun but Zarya ran forward, managing to hit the weapon out of his hand. She raised her fist to attack, aiming for Reaper's face. However, he was quicker, once again entering wraith form and causing Zarya to fall through him. Reaper quickly returned to normal, aiming his other weapon at Zarya's back and firing a single shot. She fell to the floor, groaning slightly due to the pain.

"Pathetic."

For good measure, Reaper put a second shot in Zarya's leg but he didn't bother finishing her off, instead turning and walking towards Katya. She scrambled behind her desk, reaching underneath for a concealed pistol, that she'd hidden there after Sombra's intrusion.

"Don't bother. I already removed the gun."

Katya sighed, placing both hands on her desk and leaning forward slightly. "What do you want?"

Just then, the door to the office opened and two armed guards ran in, alerted by the sound of gunfire. Reaper didn't even bother turning around, raising his weapon and firing at the door, hitting both of the armed guards and killing them. Once the door to the office closed, he threw away his shotgun, returning to his conversation with Katya.

"I assume your glorified puppet filled you in on the details, so I'll keep it short. Sombra found something on you, something that had you doing whatever she told you to do. I want to know what it is and what she wanted in return for not telling anyone."

"So Talon can blackmail me instead?"

Reaper knew his orders. Find out how bad the information that Sombra had on Volskaya was and what Sombra wanted from her, in return for keeping it a secret. However, he didn't need to know what the information was. He had no real loyalty to Talon and Widow and Sombra were now with Overwatch. On top of that, Moira and Doomfist had been lying to him. He would still complete the mission but now he had his own plans, plans that weren't exactly in Talon's best interests.

"Think of it as protection. We protect you from the truth getting out and in turn, you owe us a favour or two."

"Sombra doesn't have the information anymore." Reaper turned to Zarya, who was still on the floor due to her injuries. "Overwatch made her delete it."

Reaper laughed. "Did they? Who's in charge of Overwatch currently? The Monkey or the Boy Scout?"

Zarya didn't answer.

"Perhaps you should consider who's actually calling the shots and then ask yourself if they would really delete that data. I doubt the Boy Scout would willingly give up such a strong bargaining tool."

Zarya remained silent, as he turned back to Katya. He picked up a picture from the desk, knowing exactly what it was and held it up in front of Volskaya.

"Now, I'm not Sombra and I have very different methods at finding out information. I will find out, no matter what I have to do. So save me the trouble and tell me what I want to know. NOW!"

The sudden change in Reaper's tone startled Katya, who jumped back from the desk slightly. She stared at the picture being held by Reaper and then lowered her head.

"Fine. She found out I've been getting my tech from the Omnics."

Reaper let out another laugh. "And if that got out, your entire business falls apart. So, what did Sombra want in return for not telling the world?"

"The same as you. A few favours whenever she wanted them."

"That's it? She didn't want anything else?"

"No."

There was the sound of footsteps from outside, which Reaper knew was a number of guards approaching. Reaper turned around, drawing a new set of weapons while staring down the door.

"What happens now then?" Katya asked, as Reaper stepped towards the office door.

"Talon will be in touch. If you're lucky, perhaps I'll will too. Now, maybe you should get her some medical attention."

Reaper was now standing in front of the office door, waiting for one of the incoming guards to open it. Zarya considered speaking up agaisnt Reaper but decided agaisnt it, believing he might actually finish her off if she pissed him off enough.

After a short moments wait, the door slid open and a group of guards went to step inside. Once they saw Reaper, they all stopped in their tracks, one guard at the back of the group turning and running.

"Any last words?"

The guards raised their weapons, firing desperately at the target in front of them. It was of little use however, as Reaper moved forward, firing his shotguns and leaving a trail of bodies behind him. He dispatched the first group with ease and a second group of guards came into view. They suffered the same fate as the first group, as Reaper entered wraith form, closed the gap between him and the guards and then unleashed hell.

"Looks like it's amateur hour."

With the second group of guards disposed of, Reaper jumped down to the ground, using wraith form to slow his descent and then walking through the rest of the facility. A few more guards attempted to stop him leaving but were soon taken out of the picture. In the end, an order went out to all the remaining guards.

"Do not engage! I repeat, do not engage the intruder! Get to Volskaya!"

Reaper enjoyed a peaceful walk out after that and any guards that he came across quickly got out of his way. Once he'd left the factory, Reaper contacted Doomfist, while making his way towards the dropship's intended landing zone.

"Report."

"The information Sombra has on Volskaya is bad. It'll put her out of business if it gets out. However, I couldn't find out what it was." Reaper replied, being selective with what he told Doomfist.

"No matter, we discovered what we needed to know. I assume Miss Volskaya is willing to co-operate?"

"Didn't give her much of a choice."

"Good. I must say, you accomplished your goal much quicker than I expected Reyes."

"Volskaya returned early. Don't know why."

"How... interesting. In any case, return to base for your next assignment."

"Still don't want me on the Numbani op then?" Reaper asked, almost complaining at the decision.

"Unfortunately no. I have another matter that needs to be handled."

Reaper just grumbled. "Fine. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Gibraltar

Angela and Fareeha walked through the town, arms linked as they headed towards their destination. Angela knew of a restaurant that was quite nice and after a quick chat, the two of them had decided to head there.

After walking a bit further, the two arrived at the restaurant and Fareeha held to door open for Angela as they stepped inside. It was quite fancy looking, with most, if not everyone dressed up. It was also very busy, with a number of people in the dining area and the bar.

"Good evening." Said a woman, who was standing behind a tall table, greeting people as they entered. "Do you have a reservation?"

"I'm afraid not." Angela replied. "Will that be a problem?"

"Not at all. However, it's likely to be at least half an hour before a table is ready. Will that be okay?"

Angela looked to Fareeha, who shrugged her shoulders. "Fine by me. We're in no rush, so it gives us the chance to grab a drink first."

"That'll be fine." Angela said, answering the young woman behind the desk.

"Okay. Can I have a name please."

"Ziegler."

"Very good. Once your table is ready, someone will come and find you. Have a good evening."

Angela thanked her and the two women made their way over to the bar. They were lucky to grab two seats next to the bar, as another couple were called just as they arrived. The bartender came over after a short wait and they both ordered a glass of red wine.

Once they had their drinks, they both lifted up their glasses and gently tapped them together and then took a sip.

"Quite nice." Angela said, approving of their choice.

"Yes, it is. This is a really nice place. Have you been here before?"

"No I haven't. I actually heard about it because of Lena. She brought Emily here when she visited her the once and she said it was very good. So far, I'm in agreement."

Fareeha chuckled to herself. "Now that I think about it, we have quite a bit to thank Lena for."

"What do you mean?" Angela asked, slightly puzzled.

"Well, she kept nudging you with the idea of you and me and was the one who basically made us go on this date."

Angela smiled. "Yeah, suppose we do have a lot to thank her for. I'm glad to have her as a friend."

The two continued to talk about various different topics, including discussions about the other agents. However, most of their conversation was about their lives away from Overwatch. Fareeha spoke about her work at Helix and how her and Ana were getting to know each other again. Angela on the other hand spoke of her medical research and how she hoped her work would save more lives.

Just over half an hour later, a member of the restaurant staff came and found them, informing them that their table was ready. The two stood and followed the waiter to their table, which was situated next to a window and had a single, small candle lit in the middle. Once the two had sat, they ordered another glass of wine each, before looking over the menus.

It didn't take either woman long to decide what they were having and once the waiter returned with their drinks, they were ready to order. Angela ordered herself a spaghetti bolognese, while Fareeha decided on a chicken risotto. The waiter noted down their choices, taking the menus and headed for the kitchen.

As they waited, Fareeha started the next conversation.

"I know I said this earlier but you really do look beautiful tonight Ang."

Angela smirked mischievously. "Oh. What about any other time?"

"Well..." Fareeha trailed off, chuckling when Angela pretended to look offended. "You always look like an angel."

"Why thank you. You look very stunning as well." Angela replied, leaning in and kissing Fareeha. "It's a shame I haven't had the chance to see you dressed up much."

"I don't really get the chance to." Fareeha admitted. "Work takes priority most of the time. It feels nice to just get out and let my hair down."

"If you don't mind me asking, when did you get that dress? I know you didn't already have it at the base..."

"It was when I was out with mom. I think her exact words were 'Faree, you are not going on a date dressed in jeans and a top. You have to make an effort.' To be honest, she did have a point."

Angela couldn't help but laugh. "I can actually imagine her doing that. Who chose the dress in the end?"

"I did. She gave her opinion but said I looked good in multiple ones. In the end, she let me decide."

"How are things between you and your mother? You didn't really say before."

Fareeha thought for a second. "It's... really good actually. I feel like I'm connecting with her again and that I can talk to her about anything... I have my mother back Ang... after all this time, despite everything I thought, she's proud of me. It's the best feeling in the world."

"I'm glad to hear that. I know what finding her meant to you and I can see she's truly sorry for what happened. It's nice to see you two bonding again."

The two waited a short while longer before their food arrived, thanking the waiter once again as he placed their plates down on the table. The food was excellent and neither could find any faults in their dishes. After eating their mains, the two ordered dessert, which were two slices of warm chocolate cake, along with a scoop of ice cream.

The desserts were just as good as the mains, if not better. Once they'd eaten, they sat and listened to the music that the restaurant had playing in the background, while they finished off their drinks. They weren't quite ready to leave just yet, so they decided to pay the bill, agreeing to split the cost between them and then moved back to the bar. It was just after 11:00 when Angela and Fareeha finally left the restaurant, arms once again linked as they began to head back towards the watchpoint.

Under normal circumstances, they'd have to make sure no one saw them heading towards the watchpoint. Recently though, with public opinion of Overwatch changing for the better, people seemed to be taking less and less notice and some even waved at those agents they recognised.

The two walked gently back into the watchpoint and appeared to be the only ones around, which didn't surprise them due to the time. They silently agreed to walk through the base and stop at the cliff, near to Winston's lab. To their surprise they found Genji, who was sat meditating while listening to the ocean.

"Good evening. I trust you two enjoyed yourselves?"

"We did, thank you Genji." Angela replied, wrapping her arm around Fareeha, who did the same in return. "I must say, I'm surprised to see you up so late."

"I come here quite often actually. I enjoy sitting here and listening to the ocean. It's very calming and peaceful at this time of night."

Fareeha looked up at the sky. "And it comes with an amazing view."

"Indeed it does Miss Amari."

"Do you mind if we join you?" Angela asked, sensing that Fareeha also wanted to spend a little time here.

"Not at all."

The two women sat down, wrapping their arms back around each other as they looked up at the night sky.

"By the way, who won that game? Morrison or Hana?" Angela asked, already suspecting who the winner was.

"Morrison did."

"Wait, really?"

Genji chuckled at Angela's response. "Indeed. It was an unexpected result." They sat in silence for a short time, until Genji stood to leave. He wasn't planning on staying out much longer anyway, so decided to leave Angela and Fareeha alone with each other.

"I will let you two enjoy the view. Goodnight."

Genji bowed at Angela and Fareeha, before turning and heading towards his quarters. As he left, Angela snuggled closer to Fareeha, wrapping her other arm around her waist.

"I don't really get chance to just stop and look up at the stars. They're beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you."

The two looked at each other, before leaning in for a kiss.

"I really enjoyed tonight. Thank you Faree." Angela said, giving Fareeha another quick kiss.

"I enjoyed tonight too. Shame it has to come to an end."

"You know, there is one more thing we could do."

Fareeha looked at Angela, not quite sure what she meant. "Oh really? What would that be?"

Angela leaned in, whispering seductively into her ear. "Spend the night with me."

Fareeha was honestly a little suprised that she'd asked her to do that. Yet, it wasn't something she would refuse. "Are you sure? I want you to be certain that it's what you want."

"I've never been more certain about anything. I love you Fareeha."

"I love you too."

The two shared a long kiss, before Fareeha stood up, picking up Angela bridal style and then heading towards her quarters, making sure they keep quiet as they made their way through the base. Once they arrived, Angela found her key and opened the door. Fareeha stepped into the room, closing the door with her foot before placing Angela down on the bed.

It was quite some time before they finally fell to sleep.


	24. Shattered Harmony

**Shattered Harmony**

 _There is still no clear decision on the future of the Petras Act after several meetings of the United Nations. The UK and US lead calls for the act to be revoked, with many nations agreeing that only Overwatch can deal with the threat the terrorist group Talon pose. However, many nations still remain sceptical that restoring Overwatch is the only solution._

 _While discussions continue in New York, thousands have gathered in front of the UN headquarters, demanding that the Petras Act be scrapped and Overwatch be restored._

 _"Overwatch are heroes, not criminals. They need to be allowed to do what they need to."_

 _"It's time we came together and stopped this terror group once and for all!"_

 _Polls across several countries also show a change in public opinion regarding the Petras Act. Combining surveys from 25 countries, 87% of people believed that the Petras Act should now be revoked and Overwatch be returned to active duty._

 _We will continue to update you on this story as it develops._

Numbani- 10:30- Three days later

It was a normal day in city of Numbani. Humans and omnics went about their business, some stopping to say hello and engage in conversation. This was something that fascinated Zenyatta, as he made his way through the city towards the museum. Here, humans and omnics lived together in peace. If only the rest of the world could unite in such a way, to move past their hatred and distrust of omnics and find a better way to live.

Zen knew this was possible, yet it was still a long way away. The scars from the Omnic Crisis were still present all over the world. London was a good example of a wound that was not allowed to heal. Tensions between humans and omnics were at an all time high. To try and improve relations, the UK government built King's Row, only for Null Sector to come and undo the progress that had been made. Mondatta went to King's Row to try and ease the tensions, to begin the process of healing this wound and it was actually working. Until Talon stepped in.

His time in Numbani had given Zen chance to think over this entire situation and one thing stuck out to him. Whatever Talon's ultimate goal was, London was clearly important in some way. The question was why? Why was King's Row being targeted so much? The most likely answer was to cause another Omnic Crisis. With tensions so high, another war was becoming more and more likely.

Then there was the attack on Washington. With that, Talon had managed to unite the world in finding a solution to deal with them, yet this must have been counter productive. There were no targets hit that increased tensions between humans and omnics and had furthered the debate on the future of the Petras Act. So how did this further Talon's goal to cause a second Omnic Crisis? Unless that wasn't Talon's ultimate goal.

Zen was unable to continue his train of thought, as he arrived at the museum. The building was not yet open to the public, as the event inside was still being set up. Fortunately for Zen, he didn't need to get inside, as outside stood Orisa. She was watching the area, keeping an eye out for trouble while also greeting the various number of event staff and security who entered the building behind her. There was no sign of Efi, though that was understandable due to the time.

Zen did a check of the area around him, making sure that there was no one suspicious in the area. While he couldn't see anyone upon his initial observation, it was also very likely that Talon agents could be disguised as event staff. With time working against him, Zen headed over to Orisa.

"Greetings." Orisa said to Zen. "Can I be of assistance?"

"I hope you can. Is there any chance we can talk privately."

Orisa's eyes changed to a more serious look. "Why do you wish to speak privately?"

Zen leaned forward slightly, making sure that he kept his voice down. "I bring urgent information from Overwatch."

Upon hearing this, Orisa knew this was a serious matter. She looked over the area in front of her, checking for anyone who looked out of the ordinary. When nothing jumped out at her, Orisa's eyes returned to a happy look.

"Of course. Please follow me."

Orisa turned and headed inside the museum, Zen following close behind. A few people inside looked at Zen, wondering who he was for a brief moment, before returning to what they were doing. They knew that Orisa wouldn't take any risks with security, so they let them be. Once they were in a quiet area, Orisa turned back around and faced Zenyatta, her eyes becoming serious once again.

"What is the situation?" She asked Zen.

"Overwatch has discovered a plot by Talon to kidnap Efi Oladele and they plan to attack the city during the event today. A response team is on its way, however it is vital that miss Oladele does not attend this event."

Orisa looked away from Zen slightly, deeply concerned about what she'd just been told. Her primary purpose was to protect Efi as well as the city of Numbani. She could easily warn Efi and keep her away, yet it was the city and the innocent people that would be caught up in any fighting.

"I will warn her of the danger and make sure she keeps away. What about the incoming attack? Would it be best to cancel the event?"

"Perhaps, though Talon would likely seek out miss Oladele in the main city instead. The best course of action may be to try and limit Talon's ability to act in the city and give the people the chance to get clear of the danger."

"You mean luring them here and containing them in the local area?" Orisa asked, clarifying what Zen meant.

"Indeed. If Talon were focused in one area, containing the situation would be far easier."

Orisa thought over the idea. The event was due to start at 12:00, giving them under an hour and fifteen minutes from now to warn people and prepare for a fight. On top of that, the museum was due to open very soon. The available options were limited to say the least.

"With the limited time available, containment would be the most logical course of action." Orisa finally said, not fully happy with her conclusion.

"Very well. I shall go and warn people to leave the area and then I will return here to offer assistance. I trust I will be able to gain entry upon my return?"

"I will inform security to let you in. In the meantime, I will contact Efi."

Overwatch dropship- 30 minutes later

Overwatch were currently speeding towards Numbani, keeping to a tight timeline to maximise their effectiveness. Zenyatta had been keeping in contact with Morrison throughout the day, informing him of what was happening on the ground as well as the formulated plan with Orisa. Zen also had a suspicion that Talon already had agents inside the museum staff, which limited what they could do before they attacked. For that reason, the agents had been split up into multiple teams.

On top of that though, Morrison had received word that Zarya was injured in Russia, all thanks to Reaper. How she was still alive amazed him but that didn't matter right now. While Zarya was now out of hospital, she was still protecting Katya Volskaya, meaning they were an agent down. Due to this, Morrison had to adapt his original plan, thought something told him he would be adapting it again very soon.

The plan right now was to have Talon believe that Efi was at the museum. Once Talon begun their attack, team one would move in, if they hadn't already arrived by then. Team one was made up of Genji, Hanzo and the Bastion. They would link up with Zen as quickly as possible and defend the museum.

Team two would then take over the operation, attacking the main Talon force and either forcing them to surrender or taking them all out. This team was being lead by Morrison and was made up from the bulk of the Overwatch agents. However, there was also the chance that Talon would try to destroy key areas of the city, like they did in Washington. That was where team three came in.

Team three was more of a fancy name for whoever wasn't in team one or two, as their objective was to take care of any Talon soldiers who weren't involved in the main fight at the museum. This team was being lead by Tracer and included DVa, Mei, Lucio and Widow.

Morrison thought it was best to have Widow in team three for two main reasons. The first was so Tracer could keep an eye on her and make sure she was okay. After all, this was her first mission as an Overwatch agent instead of a Talon agent. The second reason was due to the structure of the area. Widow couldn't exactly stay on the rooftops here and so she was very visible. Morrison didn't want Talon knowing where she was at all times.

There was one person that wasn't part of a team. Sombra. She had a separate objective, to keep Morrison up to date with enemy movements and hit the enemy when she could, without breaking her cover.

Right now though, Sombra was speaking to Morrison about another matter. Her computer had deciphered the messages that she'd intercepted a few days ago and they were a bit concerning. They were communications to various criminal organisations across the globe. However, there were two gangs that stood out. Los Muertos and the Deadlock Gang.

Talon's involvement with Los Muertos was simply a business arrangement. Talon supplied them with weapons and funding and in return, they did a few things from time to time. At least, that was what the messages seemed to say. It was concerning but no where near as concerning as the messages to the Deadlock Gang.

Those messages were about cargo that they were supposed to collect and then deliver to another location, that hadn't been included in the messages. The pickup location was a dock in Boston. That was all Morrison needed to read to know exactly what cargo the message was on about. Project Indigo.

"Reyes should have cleared out the Deadlock Gang long ago." Morrison said aloud, as he finished reading over the messages Sombra showed him. He looked to his left and signalled McCree. "Jesse. Come here a second."

McCree stepped away from the small group he was in and towards Morrison and Sombra.

"What's up?"

"What do you make of this?"

Sombra flipped her computer screen so McCree could read it. Once he did that, he couldn't help but look slightly confused.

"People trafficking..? Deadlock's moved weapons and military hardware in the past but moving people is a completely different game. Maybe they didn't know?" McCree suggested,

"Perhaps, though given their reputation..."

"Yeah, I don't need to be reminded." McCree said, a slight hint of regret in his voice. "This is a personal matter to me. I want to look into it."

"Fine by me. We'll discuss it more after this mission. Till then, dismissed."

Both Sombra and McCree nodded, before stepping away towards opposite ends of the dropship. While McCree headed back to his original conversation, Sombra headed towards the back of the ship, where Tracer and Widow were sat.

Just before Morrison dismissed Sombra, Tracer and Widow had been talking, keeping their voices down so no one could overhear them, especially Sombra.

"Just ask her Amelie." Lena said, nudging Widow's arm.

"I don't know. What if she says no?"

"What if she says yes?"

Widow let out a breath, as Sombra walked over and sat down next to her. Lena pulled out her phone and stood up.

"I'm just going to make a call. Be right back."

Lena had two reasons for doing this. One was because she did want to speak to Emily before the next mission, as she did with every mission she went on. The other was to give Widow some privacy.

"Sombra..." She began, gaining the hackers attention.

"What's up?"

Widow took another quick breath. "I was wondering if... if you'd like to get a drink after this mission?"

Sombra was slightly surprised, though she didn't show it. Thanks to an earlier conversation with Lena, she knew what Widow was really asking. Slowly, Sombra placed a hand over Widow's, which she was resting on her knee and looked towards her.

"Sure. I'd love to."

Widow couldn't help but smile. This was a big step forward, yet she felt more than ready to take it. Nothing else needed to be said, yet Widow felt like she had to say one more thing.

"Sombra... promise me you'll be careful."

"I will. I promise."

Numbani Heritage Museum- 12:03

Zen had stationed himself near the back of the seated crowd, while Orisa was to the left of the stage, both watching as the event began. They had just finished an initial speech and were currently playing a video that showed everyone what Efi had accomplished. Zen had to admit that her accomplishments were impressive, especially for someone her age.

Thankfully, Orisa has managed to contact Efi and her family before they arrived and had practically ordered them to keep away. It was quite unusual seeing her speak that way, since she seemed naturally very polite. These were very unique circumstances though.

As the video continued and the time ticked away. Zen wondered how Talon would attack. It was clear they were going to, since everyone believed Efi was here. At least, he hoped that Talon believed that. He had asked as many people as possible to leave the area discreetly, warning them of the incoming danger. Many had listened and began to move away, perhaps a little too easily if Zen was honest. Maybe it was because he dropped Overwatch's name. Despite this, there was still some who remained in the area. It saddened Zen that they could end up injured but there was very little more he could do without alerting Talon.

Once the video finished, a man walked onto the stage and began to introduce Efi. However, before he could finish, two things happened. The first was someone walking onto the stage and whispering into his ear. He seemed quite worried by whatever he was told but this was soon forgotten, as the entire building shook.

It went silent for a few moments, before Orisa stepped forward, arming her weapon for combat.

"Everyone, please make your way towards the stage."

Just as Orisa finished speaking, the wall behind the crowd exploded. The event wasn't too far inside the building, so the explosion exposed the room to the outside world. Armed Talon soldiers stormed into the building, firing wildly into the crowd. Luckily, as Orisa threw down a barrier, Zen quickly reacted to this threat.

"EXPERIENCE TRANQUILITY."

The Talon agents kept firing but soon stopped and just looked at the monk. Whatever he was doing was stopping them killing anyone, so why bother wasting ammo. Once everyone was clear, Orisa placed a new barrier and Zen returned to normal, floating in place behind the deployable cover.

"I must say, that was quite the impressive display."

Doomfist walked in through the destroyed wall, wearing a suit of combat armour. He was clearly expecting trouble and, as he stepped forward, a few of the soldiers moved out of his way. He came to a stop a short distance in front of the barrier, speaking to the Omnic monk once again. "Now, if memory serves me, you must be Zenyatta."

"You know me?" Zen asked, knowing he needed to stall to give the civilians time to escape.

"Indeed I do. I'm surprised to see you working with Overwatch."

"I am not with Overwatch. I simply came here to..."

"I know that isn't true." Doomfist said, interrupting the monk. A Talon dropship now hovered into view, which explained how the wall was destroyed so easily.

"Tell me, how did you managed to fly this deep into the city?" Zen asked. Surely someone must have noticed them approaching the city.

"We have agents everywhere. Now, I suppose you already know why we're here, since you're clearly stalling for time, so I'll make it easy. Give us the girl and no one gets hurt."

"You're not getting her." Orisa replied, aiming her weapon straight towards Doomfist.

Doomfist simply chuckled. "I hope the girl gave you more than just a new coat of paint."

"You'd be surprised. I've received a number of upgrades since that battle."

"I doubt they will do you much good. Final chance. Hand over the girl and we leave peacefully."

Orisa and Zen didn't reply.

"Very well. Dispose of these two, then find me the girl."

The Talon soldiers opened fire, hitting the barrier with everything they had. Orisa and Zen began walking backwards, firing at the enemy troopers as they slowly advanced. There were at least 20 soldiers, most taking cover to avoiding being hit. They both knew they would struggle to stop this many alone. Fortunately for them, the Talon forces stopped dead in their tracks, as the dropship behind them suddenly exploded.

The ship stayed hovering for a moment, before the pilot lost control and crashed down to the ground. A couple of Talon soldiers clambered out of the wreckage, clearly dazed and not expecting to be shot down. As the troopers looked back to the downed dropship, trying to work or what happened, another ship arrived, hovering above the area before dropping down one single unit.

The Bastion.

It transformed into its turret configuration and began firing at anything that belonged to Talon. Some of the Talon troopers were too surprised at the sudden appearance of a Bastion to react in time and ended up mowed down by the barrage of bullets. Doomfist however was well aware what it could do and ran straight for cover. He was soon joined by a couple of other troopers, who were smart enough to follow his lead. He grabbed his radio, seeing that the easy option was now long gone.

"All units. Begin phase two."

Genji and Hanzo now leaped down from the dropship, slowing their descent on the wall of the museum and taking out some of the remaining enemies. Doomfist knew that he'd lost this fight and charged up his gauntlet, obliterating the weakened wall he was behind. He ran straight towards Genji and Hanzo, charging up his gauntlet once again. The two brothers both jumped out of his way, knowing full well that they could not take him on without backup. With Doomfist out of the picture, they moved into the building, linking up with Zenyatta and Orisa and clearing out the rest of the Talon troopers.

With the immediate threat removed, Genji contacted Morrison, while the Bastion moved into the building and behind Orisa's barrier.

"We have secured the museum, though it is likely that Talon will try to attack again."

"Understood. Any idea how large the enemy force is?"

Genji didn't know the answer but as a number of Talon dropship's flew over, he took an educated guess.

"Large."

"Roger that."

Within a few minutes, two dropships landed and the second team unloaded. Everyone fanned out, taking up defensive positions until ordered otherwise. Sombra was the only exception, immediately going invisible and running off to find the Talon forces. Once everyone was out, the dropships took off again, heading off to unload team three.

"Is the girl safe?" Morrison asked, once he and Mercy had jogged over to Genji's team.

"Yes." Orisa answered, as Mercy repaired any damage she took with her healing staff.

"I assume you've been filled in on the plan?"

"Affirmative."

"Excellent. Remain here with Genji and his team to defend this location. The rest of us will move forward and push Talon back."

The team confirmed they understood, allowing both Morrison and Mercy to walk back outside, joining up with rest of team two.

"Sombra, have anything?"

"Lots of enemies grouping up a short distance away. They're clearly preparing to counter attack." Sombra replied, watching the Talon forces from a safe distance. It wasn't long until Doomfist appeared, ordering the commanding officers around.

"Any idea on numbers?"

"Too many to tell. At a guess, at least fifty."

Just as she said this, another dropship landed and deployed two squads of soldiers. They were instantly given orders, before running off in the opposite direction of the museum.

"Wait, two squads are heading away from the fight." Sombra reported.

"Understood. Stay with the main force and keep me informed of what's happening." Morrison now contacted Lena. "Tracer, Talon's got squads heading away from the fight. Have your team land further back and engage them."

"You got it."

Morrsion went silent for a few moments, clearly thinking over the situation. Ana, who was standing nearby, noticed this unusual silence.

"What's wrong?"

"Something's not right." Then it hit him. "Sombra, any sign of Reaper or Moira?"

"Nope, haven't seen either of them. Doomfist is the only major player here."

Morrison turned to Ana. "Think about it. Two former Talon agents are working with us. So where's Reaper? Or Moira? Both would be very helpful in a fight agaisnt us."

"You think something else is going on?"

"Maybe..." It was an uneasy thought but Morrison considered there might have been another reason for this attack. "Everyone listen up. Talon may have an ulterior motive for being here, so keep your guard up."

With that warning given, Morrison checked the status of team two. Everyone was ready to go.

"Heads up, Talon's moving towards you." Sombra reported.

"Understood. Stay with them." Morrsion now spoke to the agents in front of him. "Ana, stay back and cover us. Pharah, get into the air and give us support. Mercy, stay with her and amplify her damage. Everyone else, stay behind Reinhardt's barrier and prepare to engage."

Numbani Airport

While the main Overwatch force moved to engage, team three had landed at the airport and were now making their way through the city. It was extremely quiet, with most of the civilians now out of the area. They came across the odd one here or there but they also quickly left, not wanting to get caught up in the upcoming fight.

"What do you think Talon are up to?" Mei asked, taking note of Morrison's warning.

"I dunno. Any ideas Widow?" Tracer asked, making sure she used Amelie's codename while they were on the mission.

"No." Widow replied, as she looked around the area using her thermal goggles. "If they're looking for me and Sombra, then they're doing everything wrong. There has to be something else."

Just then, Widow saw a small group of people approaching the area. She placed her hand up, signalling everyone behind her to stop moving. She also reached forward and grabbed Tracer, pulling her back gently so that she wasn't seen. They made sure to keep out of sight, DVa hiding herself around a corner so that her Meka wasn't spotted.

Once the small squad of Talon soldiers moved into the area in front of them, the team could see that one was carrying a metal case. They placed the case down and proceeded to open it, while the rest of the soldiers watched the area. Widow took the opportunity to grapple to a ledge above her, keeping herself low as she moved to see what they were doing.

As she looked through the scope of her sniper, the one soldier began handing out packages to the other troopers. Widow soon she realised what was inside and what Talon's ulterior motive was.

"They have explosives. Plan must be to cause as much damage as possible."

"What is it with Talon and explosions recently?" DVa said.

"They cause a lot of damage. It's a good way to get a message across." Widow replied, remembering Reaper saying that exact line to another Talon grunt. How times had changed.

"Tracer to 76, Talon's trying to place explosives around the area. We're about to engage."

"Of course they are." Morrison replied, sighing at the development. "Take out as many enemies as you can but those explosives are your primary objective."

"Understood." Tracer signalled the team to move into position. "On your go Widow."

Widow lined up her scope with the head of the Talon soldier handing out the explosives. Just as they turned to hand one over to another trooper, she pulled the trigger. The bullet went straight through the soldiers head and ended up hitting another in the leg. The trooper collecting the explosive could only jump back in shock.

"WHAT THE?!" He looked over to where the shot came from, seeing a sniper aiming straight at him.

"ENEMY CONT..!" He was never allowed to finish, as Widow killed him with another perfect headshot.

The rest of the team now moved in, Tracer leading the way. She fired her pulse pistols and took out the closest enemy to her. DVa was not far behind her, using her defence matrix to keep Tracer covered. With the enemy distracted trying to hit Tracer, Widow took the opportunity to hit the troopers towards the back, taking each one out with clean headshots.

A couple of the troopers attempted to flee the battle but were stopped by a wall of ice appearing in their way. They could do nothing as Mei, speed boosted by Lucio, fired two ice shards at them. She then reached for Snowball, throwing him at the remaining troopers and freezing them in place. Widow made short work of the now helpless targets, before jumping down to the rest of the team.

"Sombra said there were two squads." She reminded Tracer.

"Then we deal with them too. Everyone split up. Find them and call for backup if you need it. We'll meet up back here once the area's clear."

Numbani Heritage Museum

While team three dealt with the new threat, team two had walked forward and met the main Talon force. The two forces stopped just in front of each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. It was an uneasy standoff, with everyone waiting for orders from their commanding officers. In the end, it was Talon who made the first move, Doomfist giving them the order to attack.

"Kill them all."

The Talon force opened fire, hitting Reinhardt's barrier with a barrage of firepower. Morrison reacted quickly, giving an order in response.

"MCCREE!"

"IT'S HIGH NOON!"

Within seconds, the Talon soldiers had stopped shooting, many scrambling for cover after hearing McCree's infamous catchphrase. Reinhardt couldn't help but laugh, as the cowboy fired, taking out six random targets and then reloading. While Doomfist would have been his first target, he was far quicker than the other Talon troopers and had used his gauntlet to move into cover.

While the Talon forces recovered and began shooting Reinhardt's barrier once again, Pharah and Mercy had taken the opportunity to fly behind the enemy. Once she was close enough, Pharah unleashed a barrage of rockets, taking out a large number of Talon soldiers in the process. Some of the troopers were able to avoid the barrage and returned fire at Pharah. Fortunately, Mercy was able to heal her up, keeping herself out of the line of fire so that she didn't become a target herself.

The barrage came just in time, as Reinhardt's barrier was heavily damaged. Winston moved forward and placed down his bubble, allowing Reinhardt to lower his shield and give it chance to recover. The rest of the team continued to fire, taking out most of the remaining troopers.

As this happened, Doomfist, who was still in cover, smashed his gauntlet agaisnt the nearby wall, leaving behind a large amount of damage. He was starting to see why Reaper was the way he was. The troopers weren't able to last agaisnt the Overwatch agents.

"Must I do everything myself?"

He charged his gauntlet up, aiming straight towards Reinhardt. Once the large bubble broke and Reinhardt raised his barrier up again, Doomfist struck. No one knew what had happened until they saw Reinhardt impact with the nearby wall.

"Focus fire on Doomfist!" Morrison ordered, as Reinhardt slowly stood back up. His armour had taken most of the impact, leaving a very visible dent. Yet this wasn't going to stop him.

Doomfist now focused on his next target, who was someone he recognised from Maximilian's casino. He intended to hit Brigitte with a low changed rocket punch and allow the remaining troops to finish her off. However, Brigitte reacted to this, raising her shield and boosting herself forward. The two impacted and both fell to the floor.

Doomfist was the first to recover, turning to focus on another target. Brigitte on the other hand was not as fast and the Talon troopers took the opportunity to aim at her. She instinctively went to raise her barrier, yet it failed to activate, the mechanism damaged thanks to the impact of the gauntlet. Her eyes went wide and she swore she heard her father shout her name, as the troopers fired.

Thankfully, Reinhardt boosted in front of her with his barrier raised, stopping the incoming shots from hitting her. Brigitte quickly stood up, picking her mace back up and then patting Reinhardt's back.

"Thanks Reinhardt."

"Don't mention it."

At the same time, Doomfist attempted to attack his third target, McCree. He lunged forward and attempted to grab him, only for McCree to roll back out of the way. All the Overwatch agents backed up slightly, as they heard a roar from Winston. Doomfist looked up to see him in primal rage.

He powered up his gauntlet once again, preparing to start a long fight with the gorilla, wanting to settle the score between them. As they both advanced towards the other, the gauntlet suddenly powered down. Doomfist looked to his right, seeing Sombra waving at him before teleporting away. He could do nothing as Winston hit him, sending him flying backwards.

As he crashed back down and the gauntlet came back online, Doomfist decided that now was a good time to fall back. He gave the order to what remained of the initial Talon force, before using his gauntlet to escape from combat.

"They're falling back." Reinhardt announced, just as two more Talon dropships flew over them.

"No, they're just regrouping." McCree corrected, spinning his revolver around and then reloading it.

"Everyone get ready for another attack." Morrison ordered, as Pharah and Mercy landed next to them.

Mercy took the opportunity to check everyone over, placing her healing beam over each agent. Reinhardt checked over his armour, concluding that the damage wasn't too bad, while Brigitte pulled out a screwdriver, quickly repairing the damage to her shield. She saw Torb giving her a worried look and mouthed a silent 'sorry' his way. She saw him shake his head, before her shield began working again.

While everyone prepared, Morrison took the opportunity to check in with team one.

"Genji, status report."

"Some Talon squads attempted to gain entry to the museum but we managed to hold them off." Genji reported.

"Keep up the good work."

While the Overwatch forces recovered, Doomfist began commanding the remaining Talon troops, considering his next move. The whole original plan had gone up in smoke thanks to Overwatch's arrival. He expected to see some Overwatch agents here and he had planned to draw them away from the museum, allowing a few other squads to sneak inside and find Efi.

Instead, it appeared that the entire of Overwatch were here and Talon simply hadn't set their forces up to deal with them. He had overheard the squads struggling to gain entrance to the museum due to a Bastion sitting right in the way. In fact, he was beginning to question if Efi was even at the museum to begin with. After all, Zenyatta and Orisa seemed to be prepared for Talon's arrival. With the odds stacked so heavily against him, Doomfist had to admit that this operation was a failure.

"Should have brought Reyes along." He thought to himself, wondering how much difference he would have made.

If there was one positive from this, it was that he now knew that Sombra was still in Talon's systems and that security needed to be overhauled. How else would they have known about this plan as well as the plan involving Katya Volskaya.

Thankfully, despite the situation, Doomfist still had his backup plan. By now, the Talon squads sent away from the battle should have completed their objective and the nearby area should be armed with explosives, ready to blow on his signal.

"Demolition team, status report."

There was no answer. After a short wait, he tried again.

"Demolition team, report!"

Still nothing. It didn't take a genius to work out what had happened. Overwatch had taken them out. Now he had another problem. Talon's escape route was through the airport and it was now likely that there were Overwatch agents in their way.

"Have your best two squads come with me. Send the rest to attack Overwatch." Doomfist's orders gained a confused look from the commanding officer.

"But that's suicide..."

Doomfist didn't bother replying, leaving the commander to pick out which squads would be lucky enough to survive. Once he'd selected, the main force was sent forward, distracting the Overwatch agents, while the commander and the remaining squads followed Doomfist. The sounds of gunfire could be heard as they quietly moved out.

It wasn't long till they ended up stumbling into DVa, who was chasing after two of the demolition team. Doomfist signalled his squad to take cover, keeping out of sight as they watched the two unfortunate soldiers attempt to attack DVa. They stopped running and began firing at DVa, only for their shots to be eaten by her defence matrix and then finished off by a couple of shots from her Meka.

Once she'd eliminated the immediate threat, DVa turned around and activated her thrusters, flying off back the way she came. Doomfist suspected that more Overwatch agents were around, so he decided to try and sneak up on them and take them by surprise.

"Stay here. Move in when I start my attack." He told the commander, who acknowledged the order with a small nod.

Meanwhile, team three were regrouping after dealing with the last of the Talon demolition team. DVa was first back, with Lucio joining her a few moments later. Tracer was next, blinking over to the group before Mei appeared. Widow was the last to return, grappling over to the small group of agents.

"Area's clear." Tracer informed Morrison.

"Good work." Morrison replied, talking over the sound of gunfire. "Heads up. We're finishing off what's left of Talon's forces but we think some have peeled off, including Doomfist. Stay alert."

As soon as his name was mentioned, team three heard the sound of the Doomfist gauntlet. They turned to see Doomfist in the air, heading straight towards the small group. Everyone dived out of the way, sucessfully avoiding the incoming threat. However, this split the team apart and Mei ended up alone. Doomfist didn't give her the chance to react, powering up his gauntlet and hitting her straight into the wall behind. She fell to the floor, lifeless.

"MEI!"

Doomfist now turned to Tracer, who ran forward firing her pulse pistols. She used her mobility to her advantage and kept blinking around him, avoiding any attacks he attempted and keeping enough distance between them to avoid a repeat of their last battle. Widow also began firing at her former leader, only to be forced to turn her attention in the opposite direction, as a squad of Talon soldiers came to Doomfist's aid.

DVa activated her defence matrix, absorbing as many shots as she could while Widow and Lucio returned fire, eliminating some of the incoming targets. As the defence matrix ran out of power, Widow and Lucio took cover behind the Meka, while DVa launched her micro missiles, taking out a couple more enemies.

Confident that DVa and Lucio could handle the other troops, Widow grappled up to a nearby ledge and aimed her sniper towards Doomfist. Tracer was doing a good job at keeping him busy, avoiding his attacks time and again but she was also making him more and more angry. As he turned his back to her, Widow quickly identified a weak point and fired a shot into Doomfist's armour. If anything, it only seemed to enraged him further.

Eventually, Doomfist aimed his weapon and fired a shot, perfectly anticipating Tracer's movements and scoring a direct hit. In response, Tracer activated her recall, undoing the damage the shot caused. However, Doomfist wasn't finished yet and raised his gauntlet once again. He knew he didn't have time to charge it up and so swung the gauntlet through the air, predicting perfectly where Tracer would reappear and hitting her to the ground. He made sure not to give her he time to recover, landing a second punch with his other hand and knocking her out.

Widow fired another shot at Doomfist, aiming for his head. However, he anticipated this and raised his gauntlet to block the shot. DVa now changed targets, boosting towards Doomfist and firing her weapons at him. This was a move she came to regret, as Doomfist powered up his gauntlet once again and landed a punch on the incoming Meka. DVa was sent flying backwards, impacting the wall behind her and ending up embedded in it. The impact knocked out the Meka's power and left it damaged to the point that Hana couldn't even eject.

"LUCIO, GET OUT OF HERE!" Hana shouted, being unable to do anything else.

Lucio heeded her words, jumping onto the wall and riding past the Talon troopers, who were too focused on Widow to even care about him. Once he was away, he moved quickly, trying to contact the rest of the team for help.

Widow used the distraction DVa caused to run over and pick up Tracer, throwing her over her shoulder before activating her grapple. Doomfist was basically on top of her as the grapple impacted its target, pulling her away from immediate danger. Yet, the remaining Talon troopers had other ideas, firing at the grappling point and scoring a hit. The cable was cut and Widow ended up falling back to the ground, impacting hard with the floor below.

Her rifle ended up some distance away and the Talon grunts moved quickly to make sure she couldn't retrieve it. Instead, she moved to Lena, who had landed next to her and checked her pulse. She was relieved to know that Lena was still alive.

"It seems today wasn't a total failure after all."

Widow looked up to see Doomfist, who was holding Snowball in his gauntlet, obviously collected from Mei. He wasted no time crushing the small bot, throwing it away afterwards. He walked forward and tried to grab Widow, yet she was quicker, avoiding him and then landing her own hits on his head. He flinched slightly, yet this didn't stop him. As she attacked again, he caught the punch before head butting Widow, causing her to fall to the ground. She tried to stand back up but was not able to, as another trooper ran over and injected her with something. Within a few moments, she was out cold.

"Two for the price of one. Moira's going to love this." Doomfist said, picking up both unconscious agents in front of him. "Bring that body. Kill the Meka pilot."

The commander nodded, moving to collect Mei while some of the other troopers ran over to DVa. She was still stuck inside her Meka and was powerless to stop them taking Tracer, Widow or Mei. As one trooper stepped forward and pulled out a pistol, she knew what was coming. The glass covering the Meka's cockpit had been cracked and it wouldn't take much to break it completly. So, when the barrel of the pistol was pointed straight at her, Hana closed her eyes, accepting her fate.

"HAMMER DOWN!"

Hana's eyes shot back open, seeing the troopers near her now flat on the floor. Seconds later, Brigitte ran forward, activating her shied and protecting DVa, while Reinhardt dealt with the enemy soldiers. As he did this, Sombra suddenly appeared behind the Talon troops and fired her SMG. Between them, it didn't take long to finish them off. Once the threat was eliminated, Reinhardt walked over to DVa, pulling the Meka away from the wall and then forcing the hatch open.

"Thanks." Hana said, as Brigitte helped her out of the destroyed Meka.

"Thank Lucio. He got to us just in time." Reinhardt replied, as he came into view. "What happened here?"

Hana looked around, tying to find the other agents in her team. Other than Lucio, she couldn't find anyone.

"Talon took us off guard." She finally said. "Doomfist came out of nowhere... I think he killed Mei..."

"What about Lena and Amelie?" Sombra pressed. "Where are they?"

"They took them." Hana muttered. "Talon took them."

"No. No they can't have!"

As she said that, a single Talon dropship could be seen flying away. As they watched Talon leave, Reinhardt contacted Morrison, knowing he needed to explain the situation.

"Commander, we have a problem."

Talon base- Unknown location- Several hours later

Widow slowly began to wake up, blinking as her vision returned to normal. She was trapped in a dark room, obviously a cell, with her arms restrained above her. She was back in this nightmare, this hell that turned her into Widowmaker. Even before they started, she was determined to fight off Talon's influence. She'd die before working for Talon again.

"Hey luv."

Widow looked to her right and saw Lena, secured against the wall in a similar fashion. Her accelerator was against the opposite wall, inside a glass box so that she could see it but not use it. This sight was both a blessing and a curse. In a way, she was glad to see Lena, to see someone she knew. At the same time though, she hated the fact that she was here. She knew Talon would try to use them to break the other. That's why they were in the same cell. If Widow had to guess, they were going to try the same thing they did with Mercy and Pharah.

"Hey." Widow said, putting on a brave face. "Any idea where we are?"

"No. All I know is that we're in trouble."

"You can say that again."

Before either could say another word, their restraints came to life, powering up and electrocuting both of them. They held out as long as they could before finally screaming out in pain. The electrocution stopped as suddenly as it began and both were left breathing heavily.

A few moments passed before they heard the cell door unlock. The door slid open and in stepped Moira, an evil grin plastered on her face. She stepped over to Lena's accelerator, taping on the glass box and turning to face Lena.

"This is a fascinating piece of technology. Imagine if we could harness your abilities so that anyone could use them."

Lena didn't reply, staring at the Talon scientist. Moira found herself chuckling at her silence.

"Not as talkative as usual I see. No matter, that'll change." Moira stood up and walked to Widow, kneeling down in front of her. "Now, I suppose you're both wondering why you're here?"

"Your planning to break us and turn us into Talon agents. After all, it worked so well the first time, didn't it?" Widow answered in a sarcastic tone of voice. Clearly Lena's attitude had rubbed off a little.

"You're partly correct miss Lacroix. Our operation in Numbani didn't quite go to plan. Despite this setback, there appears to be an opportunity to fill a void in our ranks. However, I've been reading through your files recently and I've realised that our conditioning doesn't work as well as we first thought. After all, that's why we're having this conversation. Your conditioning broke down and you escaped. So this time, I seek to do things differently. I seek to persuade both of you to willingly work with us."

"Fuck off."

"Yes I thought you might say something along those lines. Perhaps this will change your mind."

Lena suddenly screamed it in pain, her restraints electrocuting her again. Widow tried to break free from her restraints, hoping she could strangle Moira and make her stop, yet she couldn't break free. After a short moment, the restraints powered down and Moira stepped over to the breathless Lena.

"And what about you miss Oxton? All of this stops if you agree to work with us. You don't want to see poor Amelie suffer any more, do you?"

Lena looked over to Widow, who gave her a defiant nod. She could take it.

"Piss off Moira. We will never work for you."

It was Widow's turn to scream out in pain, as her restraints powered up and administered an electric shock. Once the electrocution stopped, Moira turned around and walked to the centre of the room.

"I know you will come around to my way of thinking. After all, I know your weakness miss Oxton. How is Emily doing?"

Lena went wide eyed. "What?"

Moira chuckled before pulling out Lena's phone from her pocket. "I'm surprised you kept this on you instead of leaving it away from the fight. You made it rather easy for us."

"Don't you dare!"

Moira stepped back to Lena, kneeling down to face her directly. "You won't work with us willingly. Not unless we give you a reason to. Thanks to your phone, we know how much this Emily means to you. So what if we brought her here and subjected her to the same things as you? Maybe then, you'd be more willing to co-operate."

"Leave her alone!"

Moira threw Lena's phone into her lap. "You might as well keep this. We've made sure you can't contact anyone with it. Can't have you warning Emily now can we?"

After giving Lena a smirk, Moira stood up and walked to the door. As she stepped out, she heard Lena shout out once more, confirming that she'd hit a nerve.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!"

The door to the cell slammed shut and the restraints holding Lena and Widow released. Widow rubbed her wrists and looked over to Lena, who was just sitting still, staring at her accelerator. Slowly, Widow moved herself over and sat next to Lena, placing an arm around her.

"I'm scared Amelie." Lena finally admitted, instinctively cuddling her.

"I know. I'm scared too."

"If they get Emily..."

"They won't."

"But what if..."

"They won't. Overwatch won't let that happen."

Lena slowly nodded, hoping that Widow was right. She didn't care what they did to her, so long as Emily was safe. She dreaded the sight of Emily being dragged into the cell and being tortured. If that happened, then she would do anything to make it stop. She could only hope that Overwatch would get to her first.


	25. Recall

**Recall**

Watchpoint Gibraltar - Several hours after the Numbani operation

The agents once again had gathered in Winston's lab, though the mood was completely different to before. Although the battle in Numbani was a victory, it felt anything but. Lena and Amelie were gone, taken by Talon and Mei was missing, presumed dead. No one really knew what to do next.

Right now, everyone was watching Sombra, who was busy trawling through Talon's systems, hoping she'd find something. At the same time, Morrison, Ana and Winston were looking though every piece of intel they had on Talon, seeing if they could work out where Lena and Amelie were taken.

Unfortunately, they weren't getting anywhere. A lot of the intel was outdated and was about Talon bases and operations that had already been destroyed. Hell, Morrison even remembered destroying a few of these bases himself. Morale only dropped further when Sombra shouted out in anger, as her screen went from purple to red.

"DAMN IT!"

Sombra picked up a glass test tube, which just happened to be the closest thing she could find and threw it towards the back of the lab. DVa's Meka currently sat here, still heavily damaged from the last fight and the glass test tube impacted it, shattering into pieces. Normally, Hana would have told the culprit off, yet she didn't this time. She simply looked up at her Meka, before looking back down at her feet.

"What's wrong now?" McCree asked, almost dreading the answer.

"Talon found my back door!" Sombra replied, calming herself down slightly. "I can't get back into their systems."

"Can't you just brute force it?" Fareeha asked.

"I could, though Talon will be able to stop me. All they'd have to do is take their network offline and I'm stuck again." Sombra lowered her head, completely out of ideas. She almost wanted to cry, though she managed to hold any tears back.

Just then, Morrison stormed out of Winston's office and stopped just short of the stairs.

"Someone must know something! Anything!"

The room was silent, before McCree spoke up.

"What about the Deadlock Gang?"

"What about them? Now isn't the time to be chasing unconnected leads."

McCree stood up, taking his cigar out of his mouth. "Hear me out. Deadlock's been getting messages from Talon very recently. It's a hell of a long shot but maybe they'll have something that'll lead us to Lena and Amelie."

Morrison thought over the idea. "We don't have anything else to go off. Fine, go check it out. Need any backup?"

"I'll be fine on my own."

McCree was only able to walk three steps before Sombra spoke up.

"I'm going too."

McCree quickly turned around. "No offense but you're not exactly in the best mind frame."

"I can't just stay here and do nothing. If they have the intel we need on a computer, I can find it in seconds. It'll take a lot longer otherwise, time they don't have."

Morrison hated to admit it but Sombra had a point. Despite the fact he could tell she was shaken up by Amelie's kidnapping, she would be helpful on that mission.

"Fine, you can go too. Assuming that isn't an issue McCree."

"Not at all."

As the two left the lab, it was Angela's turn to speak.

"Jack, we need to go to King's Row."

Morrison sighed, knowing what this was about. "Angela, we've spoken about this. We've tipped off that Captain Jameson. He said he'll get to her..."

"Jack, there's a serious possibility that Talon will find out about Emily. If they capture her as well, Lena won't be able to resist. Lena loves her. She'll do whatever they tell her to in order to keep her safe, including fight us if she needed to."

"Lena wouldn't betray us. Would she?" Reinhardt asked, uncertainty in his voice.

"If I was in her position and it was Fareeha... I would. Anyone would to save the one they love."

Morrison groaned. He hated it when Angela was right, especially in this situation. However, with the discussions about the Petras Act still ongoing and what just happened in Numbani, getting Emily would be difficult.

"The political situation is sensitive right now. We can't send in an entire team to get her, it'll draw way too much attention and will tip off Talon at the same time."

"Me and Ang will go." Fareeha said, stepping forward and stopping next to Angela. "We'll get to her and bring her here."

"And what if Talon attack us here?" Torb asked. "We don't have the manpower to fight off an entire army, especially if they want Emily that bad."

That statement seemed to hit home for many of the agents. They were vastly outnumbered and they couldn't win this fight alone. They could hold out until the Petras Act was revoked, yet Lena and Amelie didn't have that long. After thinking it over, Morrison knew there was only one option.

"Athena. Initiate the Recall."

Winston looked straight at Morrison, surprised he of all people said that. "I already did it and very few people listened. Why would they this time?"

"Because this time I won't ask."

One by one, the agents realised what Morrison meant.

"A direct order from Jack Morrison... That might work." Ana admitted. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. Athena, you ready?"

"Standing by for confirmation."

At that moment, something changed in the watchpoint. Every agent suddenly had hope, as they listened to Morrison give his orders.

"Athena, prepare a dropship to King's Row. Angela, Fareeha, get to the hanger and wait for me there. The rest of you contact anyone you know. I don't care who they are, if they're willing, get them here. Move out!"

Everyone sprung into action. Angela and Fareeha headed towards the hanger, while the other agents began to contact various different people. Morrison meanwhile stepped into the office, placing his visor back on. He walked over to the computer and activated the recall. Within seconds, the camera above the computer went live and Morrison began his message.

"Attention all former members of Overwatch. This is Soldier 76... You've probably heard a lot about me. Some of you will think I'm a vigilante. Others will think I'm a criminal. Despite this, no one knows who I am. I think it's time for the truth."

Slowly, Morrison reached for his visor and removed it, showing his face to the world.

"My name is Jack Morrison, former Strike Commander of Overwatch. For years I've been working in secret, trying to find out who was behind the fall of Overwatch... That's no longer important. What's important is Talon. They're larger than anyone realises, they have agents all over the world and are capable of far more than we've currently seen. They've captured Tracer... and it won't stop there. They won't stop until they've accomplished their goal. Not unless we stand in their way. This is no longer about the Petras Act. It's about doing what's right. Overwatch needs all the support it can get. Which is why I'm not asking for help. If you're ready to stand up agaisnt Talon, then I'm telling you that we need you. Morrison out."

With the message sent, Morrison stepped away from the monitor and picked up his pulse rifle and visor, heading towards the hanger. He just hoped that message was enough.

King's Row- Lena's apartment

Emily opened the door to Lena's apartment and stepped inside after a long day. After closing the door and locking it, she placed her bag down, took off her coat and made her way to the kitchen, making herself a cup of tea.

Despite how long they'd been living together, it still felt strange when Lena wasn't around. Emily knew it was for a good reason. Overwatch were doing good work, even if it wasn't exactly legal. It didn't stop her from worrying about her girlfriend though.

Today was no different. The attack on Numbani was dominating the news and no one really knew what Talon's goal was. Fortunately, whatever their objective was, Overwatch had stopped them. However, the attack had been thwarted some time ago and Emily still hadn't heard from Lena. Usually, Lena would contact her after any mission to tell her she was safe. The fact she hadn't was making Emily nervous.

To try and take her mind of her concerns, Emily opened the fridge and looked for something to cook for dinner. As she was looking, her phone rang. She closed the fridge door and pulled her phone out of her pocket, seeing that the caller was Angela. Whenever she called, it usually meant Lena was injured. While sometimes it was a social call, she doubted today was one of those.

"Hey Angela." Emily said, answering the call.

"Emily, I need you to listen to me very carefully."

"Okay, you're scaring me. What's happened?" Emily asked, now very worried. The way Angela spoke made it very clear something was very wrong.

Angela took a deep breath. "Talon took Lena."

Emily leaned backwards, almost falling to the floor. "No. No they can't have..."

"Emily, listen to me. Talon has Lena and it's very likely they're coming for you next. We need to get you to safety."

Despite the severity of the situation, Angela seemed to remain calm, which helped calm Emily down a little. "Okay. What do you need me to do?"

"You need to get somewhere public. Talon won't try and take you in the open... at least I hope they won't."

Emily thought for a quick moment, coming up with an idea. "What about the pub? The one we took you to when you last visited?"

"That'll work. Go there and make sure you're not followed."

"Okay. What about Lena?"

"We're going to find her. Right now, we need to keep you safe, that's what she would want."

"Yeah... Yeah, you're right..." Emily's nerves returned as she worried about Lena. Who knew what she was being put through right now.

"Stay calm Emily. I know this is tough but we'll get her back. Trust me."

"I do. The pub, right?"

"Go. I'll meet you there."

Emily ended the call and immediately ran for her coat. As she put it back on and found her keys again, she looked out of the apartment window to see if anyone was acting suspiciously. Thankfully, she seemed to be in the clear. With that, she locked up the apartment and began walking towards the pub, making sure she kept an eye on her surroundings.

Talon base- Unknown location

Lena gasped for air, as her head was pulled out of a bucket full of freezing water. She coughed and spat out water, before taking a deep breath of air. To her left was Widow, who was currently squirming as her head was held underwater. After a few more moments, the Talon soldier behind her pulled her back up, letting her cough and take a much needed breath.

Talon had entered the cell containing Lena and Widow some time ago and immediately went to work. They tied their arms behind their back and then brought in two buckets filled with water. There wasn't even any real reason why Talon was doing this. They were just doing it to pass the time.

After a final dunking, Moira stepped inside the cell, watching the two prisoners cough heavily. Neither had broken so far, though Moira expected this. However, so long as Emily was captured, things would definitely change.

"Okay, that's enough for now."

Lena and Widow were thrown to the floor shortly afterwards and the soldiers untied their hands. The soldiers then walked to the door, each seemingly satisfied with the job they'd done.

"We can skip past these unpleasantries." Moira told the two women. "All you have to do is agree to work with us."

"Go to hell." Widow replied, the venom in her voice clear. Strangely, Moira actually smiled when she heard this. She then turned to Lena, who was still breathing heavily on the floor. She looked up at Moira and then stuck up a finger.

"Piss off. Never gonna happen."

"We shall see, miss Oxton."

Moira turned and left the cell, the large metal door slamming shut behind her. Now alone, Widow moved to lean against the wall and Lena crawled over to her, placing her head agaisnt Widow's and closing her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Widow asked, placing her arm around Lena.

"Yeah, I'm alright. What about you?"

"Oui. I'm fine."

The conditioning that Talon gave Widow meant that she could resist torture a lot longer than most people. Yet Lena was struggling and Widow could tell. She had to be there for her.

"Are you sure you're okay Lena?"

Lena didn't immediately say anything but eventually opened up. "I'm worried about Emily. If they get her Amelie... I don't know what I'd do. On top of that, I'm scared... This place is pure evil..."

"Angela won't let them take her. They'll keep her safe. Trust me Lena. We will find a way out of this."

King's Row- One hour later

Emily sat in her local pub, the one she and Lena went to all the time. She ran her finger over the top of an empty glass in front of her, previously filled with a soft drink. She couldn't drink alcohol at a time like this. She needed to think clearly and frankly, she was too worried about Lena.

She couldn't get her mind of Lena and what she was going through. Images flashed through her mind of Lena being hurt in the most vile ways, breaking her will one step at a time. She didn't want to imagine the woman she loved being subjected to that, yet she couldn't help herself.

The usual customers in the pub had also picked up on Emily's mood, realising very quickly that something was wrong. Lena and Emily were in here quite often, so they all knew how happy the two were together. After they signalled to the bartender, he stepped in front of Emily and poured her another drink.

"Right, I've never seen you like this before. What's happened?"

"I can't tell you. It's for your own protection."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The door to the pub opened and the bartender looked up. "Nevermind. That answers my question."

Emily turned around, half expecting to see an armed Talon soldier behind her. Instead, she was relieved to see Angela, dressed in her armour and holding her healing staff. She immediately stood up and hugged the medic.

"Am I glad to see you Ang." Emily said, shedding a tear.

"It's good to see you too Emily."

As the two hugged, Fareeha contacted Angela.

"Ang, we have a problem."

Angela and Emily separated, both slightly concerned by what they just heard. "What's wrong?"

"There's a group of people heading towards the building. They've clearly got an agenda."

"Understood." Angela turned towards the other customers. "You might want to get out while you still can."

The customers looked to the bartender, who shrugged his shoulders. One then spoke up on behalf of the group. "No offence but we have no intention of leaving. Let them come."

Mercy nodded, seeing their loyalty to Emily. They clearly weren't going to allow Talon to take someone they knew. Just then, a group of five men barged into the pub, taking position so that no one could leave through the front door. Angela placed her arm in front of Emily, stepping in front of her.

"We want the girl. Give her to us and no one gets hurt."

"If you want her, then you're gonna have to go through everyone in here." The bartender announced, as the other customers stood up. The group of thugs didn't seem phased though.

"We're all ex-soldiers. None of you will be able to stop us."

"Are you sure about that?"

The five thugs were too busy staring down the occupants of the pub to hear the front door open. When they turned around, they were greeted by the sight of Soldier 76 and no one knew what to say.

"What's the matter?" Morrison said, looking down at his pulse rifle, currently in his hands. "Oh, I see. You think I have an unfair advantage because of this. Okay, how about I put this down right here."

Morrison placed his rifle on the nearest table, before looking back up at the five thugs. Their confidence was gone, replaced with a slight amount of fear. They knew what Morrison was capable of, even without his weapon.

"Now, before we begin. Do any of you want to leave?"

The five thugs attacked, Hoping they could take Morrison by surprise and overpower him. However, he was more than ready for this. He blocked the attacks of one thug with ease and grabbed his shirt, forcing him towards the other end of the pub. The thug fell to the floor and quickly got back up, yet he was soon back down, as one of the customers smashed a bottle over his head.

The remaining four thugs continued to attack Morrison, trying their best to overwhelm him. However, Morrison was in his element, keeping up with the four enemies with ease. As one target tried to punch him, Morrison grabbed his arm and broke it, before throwing him back at another target.

"Go. I've got this." Morrison ordered Angela, knowing he could finish off these three quickly.

Angela turned to the bartender, who pointed her in the direction of the back door. It was currently closed, yet it was unlocked, giving them an escape route. Just before they left, the bartender spoke up.

"Stay safe Emily."

"I will."

Once the two had left the pub, Mercy contacted Pharah, speaking as they made their way back towards the street.

"Pharah, is it clear?"

"I can't see anyone else but stay on your guard."

Angela signalled Emily to stop, before taking a quick look around the area. Just as she signalled to Emily that it was clear, three more thugs appeared, each holding a pistol in their hands. They fired at Mercy, who ran back the way she just came, pushing Emily back into cover. The three thugs soon stopped firing, aiming at where the two women were hiding and calling out to them.

"Come on out and no one gets hurt!"

The threat was short lived, as Pharah managed to fly down close to them, before firing three rockets at her targets. The thugs realised too late that she was there to put up a fight and were quickly taken out of the picture.

"Thanks." Angela said, as Fareeha landed next to her. She gave a quick wave to Emily, who returned the gesture. Shortly afterwards, Morrison emerged from the pub, holding his pulse rifle. He made his way over to the others, the original five thugs nowhere to be seen.

"What's the situation?" He asked.

"The area's quiet. Too quiet." Fareeha said, reporting what she'd seen as she flew over the district. "There's a lack of anyone in the district and I think there's more Talon forces hiding in the area, waiting for us."

Morrison considered their options. All they had to do was get Emily to the dropship. The best method would be to have it land on a nearby rooftop and then have Pharah fly Emily up to it. That idea was put on hold though, as a Talon dropship flew over, stopping a short distance away. Several armed Talon soldiers jumped out, before the ship flew away, clearly not wanting to hang around.

Once they were in view, Morrison and Pharah opened fire, while Mercy held back with Emily. A few Talon soldiers fell to the Overwatch agents, before they were forced to turn around, as they began to take fire from behind. They didn't last long after that, taking fire from multiple directions.

Once the Talon soldiers were eliminated, a small four man squad of soldiers ran around the corner. They raised their weapons at the agents, only to lower them seconds later. Morrison signalled to Pharah to lower her weapon, taking note of the UK flags on the soldiers arms.

"Captain Jameson I presume?"

"Nice guess." He replied, as the small squad positioned themselves defensively, watching all angles. "Got here as fast as we could."

Morrison nodded to Jameson, before contacting Athena.

"Athena, how fast can you get a dropship onto one of these rooftops?"

"Ten minutes." Athena replied.

"That'll have to do."

Just then, another Talon dropship flew over, offloading troopers further away.

"Captain Jameson, come in."

"Jameson here."

"Talon forces just pilled into the King's Row underground station. They need to be cleared out."

"Roger that."Jameson sighed, not liking the situation. "How are those dropships getting through?" He asked.

"They're not appearing on radar, so we're having trouble tracking them. RAF jets are in the air but can't engage over population centers. However, we can determine that there aren't that many in the airspace."

"Understood. Tell them that an Overwatch ship will be danger close. Jameson out." He turned to Morrison. "If we go and deal with the underground, we might be able to pull some of Talon over there."

"You need any backup?"

"We should be fine. Focus on getting her out of here."

Morrison signalled that he understood, before Jameson and his squad moved out, heading towards the station. Once they were gone, Morrison turned around, intending to tell everyone to head further into the district. Instead, he saw Angela knelt next to Emily, who looked extremely shocked by what just happened.

"Just breath Emily, you're okay." Angela said, trying to calm her down.

"I've... I've never seen someone get shot before..." Emily replied, shaking and breathing heavily. She was panicking too much, so Angela placed her hands around her head and looked straight at her, needing to calm her down.

"Look at me. You're okay. We'll get you out of this, I promise you. Just breath. In. Out."

Emily took a deep breath in and then let the trapped air out through her mouth. She repeated this another two times before finally nodding to Angela.

"Sorry."

"Don't be, you're not used to this kind of environment. Just stay close to me, okay."

"Okay."

Once Emily was calm enough, Angela helped her up, before they walked over to Morrison and Fareeha. At this point, Morrison had come up with a plan, though he hated how basic a plan it was.

"Talon can't be planning to take Emily by dropship, the airspace is too crowded. So, we're going to head towards the Mondatta statue and hold up inside the nearby hotel. Athena will get the dropship as close as she can."

Just as he finished, another dropship hovered above them, intending to offload more troopers. However, it was forced to abandon this plan, as a jet flew over at incredible speed.

"Guess the Air Force is keeping them busy. Let's move."

It didn't take them long to get to the hotel, only having to deal with the odd Talon thug here and there. Emily still squirmed at the gunfights but thanks to Angela, was able to keep herself calm. As they reached the hotel, they ran upstairs to the next floor, holding position until the dropship arrived.

"Wait a second." Morrison said aloud, realising something off about the entire situation. "The UK is one of the major players in trying to revoke the Petras Act. So why on earth are Talon attacking them again?"

"Because of Emily." Angela answered, believing the answer was obvious.

"Think about it Angela. First Mondatta, then they did that failed attack not too long ago. Now, instead of trying to take her quietly, they send soldiers. Surely they know that'll just strengthen the arguments for revoking the..."

Morrison stopped, finally having a good idea what Talon's ultimate goal was. If anything, it just worried him further.

"The Petras Act... They're playing us all."

"Wait. You mean..?"

"They want the act revoked. They want Overwatch back. Unless they've suddenly gone sloppy, there's no other reason why they're acting so recklessly here."

"Why would Talon want Overwatch reinstated?" Fareeha asked, confused by Morrison's train of though. "All we do is keep interfering with their plans."

Before Morrison could explain further, he was interrupted by someone outside, calling into the hotel.

"Overwatch, we know you're in there. The building is surrounded. Come on out."

Morrison peered over the balcony slightly, confirming who was there. Doomfist stood with at least seven troopers, all armed with rifles. They'd obviously been in the area some time, as another two stepped out of the nearby cathedral, both pushing a man and a woman out in front of the hotel. They forced them down on their knees and aimed their weapons at their heads.

"Crap." Morrison muttered, walking back over to the others. "They have hostages."

The Overwatch agents held position, knowing that they couldn't give up Emily. However, it seemed that Doomfist had also thought of this and addressed the agents once again.

"We have two hostages out here. We also have twenty hostages inside the cathedral. If I give the order, every one of them dies. However, if we get the girl, we walk away and no one dies. It's your choice but time's running out."

"Jack, we have to do something!" Angela pleaded, hoping he had a plan. Unfortunately, he didn't.

"The second we attack they're dead and we are not handing Emily over!"

The stand-off continued, with neither side making a move. Eventually, Doomfist broke the silence.

"Come on out Emily. The lives of those people are in your hands. Think. What would Lena do?"

Emily closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had no idea what Lena would do in this situation. However, she knew what she was going to do. She was scared and frightened at what lay ahead but she wasn't prepared to let anyone die for her. Slowly, almost reluctantly, she made her way back down the stairs.

"What are you doing?" Morrison asked, running over and grabbing her arm.

"I'm not about to let those people die for me."

"If you go, there's no guarantee we can get you back."

"I don't see any other way to save them. Now please... let me go."

Morrison released Emily's arm, reluctantly stepping away from her. Angela lowered her head, while Fareeha peered over the balcony, seeing the opposition they were up against.

"I'm sorry Emily. I promised you we'd keep you safe."

"This is my choice Angela. Make sure those people are safe."

Emily gave Angela a smile, before continuing to walk down into Talon's hands. Once they saw her, the Talon soldiers aimed their weapons at her and demanded she walked over to them. Doomfist grinned, clearly pleased with how easy it was to make Emily give up.

"I'm here. Let them go."

Doomfist gave the signal to the troopers and they let go of the civilians. They quickly ran off, not once looking back. One soldier then walked forward, grabbing Emily and pushing her away. As the Talon squad began to leave, Doomfist spoke up one more time.

"By the way, in case you're thinking of following us, the cathedral has been rigged to blow. It can be stopped but only if you go in and disable it."

Morrison was now filled with rage. "What is it with Talon and explosives?!"

"We can handle it." Fareeha said, Angela nodding in agreement. "Go get Emily back."

Morrison didn't need to be told twice, running to the edge of the balcony and jumping off, while activating his tatical visor.

"I'VE GOT YOU IN MY SIGHTS!"

Doomfist was slightly surprised by this, yet he was out of view of Morrison. He moved and grabbed Emily, throwing her over his shoulder before running towards the extraction point. Morrison ran after the Talon squad, gunning one of the troopers down in seconds. He moved as fast as he could, determined not to let Talon escape with Emily.

Fareeha and Angela meanwhile flew out of the hotel and then entered the cathedral from the top. They soon found the other hostages, tied up next to a barrel fitted with an explosive. They flew down, making sure there weren't any traps left by Talon and Fareeha knelt down next to the device. The timer read that they had one minute thirty left. Next to the barrel we're a set of instructions, conveniently left by Talon. However, they weren't written in English.

"Ang." Fareeha said, after a quick glance at the instructions. "I need your help."

"I don't know how to defuse a bomb." She replied, unusually calm considering the situation.

"The instructions are in German. I need you to translate."

"You can read German." Angela commented, as she knelt down next to Fareeha.

"Better safe than sorry. Now, talk me through it."

Angela took a breath. "No pressure then. Okay, first push the button marked defuse."

Fareeha quickly found the button, pressing it. "What now?"

"Now a keypad should have appeared. Input the following four codes. One, one, two, seven."

Fareeha entered the code as quickly as possible. "Next."

"Six, two, five, nine."

"Next."

"Three, eight, two, five."

"Last one."

"One, six, nine..."

"What's the last number Ang?"

"It's not here. They've covered it up."

"What? There's has to be something else."

"No. It just says to push confirm."

Fareeha looked to the keypad again. "One in nine chance. Pick a number."

Angela thought for a brief second. "Three."

"Three it is."

Fareeha imputed the last code and pressed confirm. Yet the timer didn't stop. With less than a minute left, she didn't have time to keep trying. So she stood and began to open the barrel of explosives.

"Get out of here Ang!"

"I'm not leaving you!" Angela defiantly replied. Fareeha didn't have the time to argue with her, so she just accepted her help.

"Fine. Tell me how long's left."

Angela knelt back down, facing the timer. "Thirty two. Thirty one. Thirty."

"Count slower."

Fareeha soon had the barrel open and was looking at the inner workings of the bomb. It wasn't like any bomb she'd seen before, not that she'd seen that many bombs. It was made of parts, most likely found at a scrapyard. While she didn't know what some of the parts were, she recognised a car battery, likely from an old type of car.

"Twenty seconds!"

With no other ideas, Fareeha reached into the barrel and gripped the car battery. It moved quite easily, yet it was surrounded by cables. She frantically moved anything in the way, trying to get the battery out.

"Ten seconds!"

Once the cables were clear, Fareeha pulled the battery out and it disconnected from the bomb. Despite this, the timer still continued.

"Five seconds!"

They didn't have enough time left to escape, so Angela stood up and hugged Fareeha. As the timer ran out, the bomb began bleeping quicker and quicker. Fareeha closed her eyes, hugging Angela tightly.

Yet the bomb didn't explode. It just turned itself off.

Angela and Fareeha opened their eyes, slightly confused at first. After a few seconds, Fareeha started to laugh.

"How did you..?" Angela asked, still not sure what just happened.

"They were using the battery as a detonator. No battery, no bomb. Once in a while, Torb actually says something useful."

Angela joined in with Fareeha's laughter, before kissing her cheek. "I love you."

"Love you too. Now let's get these people out of here."

Meanwhile, Morrison was still chasing after Emily, following them as they made their escape. They took an unusual route through a building, leaving through a back door and then continuing through the city. The escape route lead them through areas populated with civilians and they all ran for cover, as the Talon squad ran past.

Two troopers stopped, aiming their weapons back they way they came and held position, while the rest of the squad continued on. Morrison appeared shorty afterwards, briefly taking cover before running out and gunning down the two enemy soldiers.

"They went that way mate." One of the nearby civilians said, pointing in the direction the Talon squad had ran.

"Thanks." Morrison wasted no time, running after them once again and quickly catching up. Normally, Morrison would have fired at the enemies, yet he couldn't risk hitting Emily. After a long chase through the streets, with Morrison occasionally taking cover to avoid being hit, the Talon squad turned into a backstreet between two buildings.

Morrison ran up and stopped just around the corner, peering down the street. Two of the soldiers were aiming at the entrance, while the remaining one and Doomfist were no where to be seen. Since the street turned to the right, Morrison guessed they were down there.

After activating his tatical visor once again, Morrison rolled out of cover, firing at the two soldiers and eliminating them. As he continued towards the corner, he heard the distinctive sound of a van being started. Morrison realised he was working with mere seconds and so ran around the corner.

The last remaining trooper was waiting for him, grabbing his rifle and pushing Morrison back. He wrestled with the trooper, trying to free his rifle before he simply let go of the weapon. He'd seen Doomfist pushing Emily into the van and climbing inside, preparing to leave. Morrison pulled out his pistol and shot the trooper in front of him, causing him to fall to the floor, just as the van doors slammed shut.

Morrison ran forward, firing at the van as it drove away, attempting to disable it. However, it was no use. The van turned the corner and disappeared into the city traffic. All Morrison could do was lower his weapon, as he watched the van leave with Emily.

"The hostages are safe. Where's Emily?"

Morrison didn't immediately answe Angela, who'd contacted him through his earpiece. Instead, he walked over to his pulse rifle and picked it up, before reluctantly answering the question.

"They got her."

"Jack... it wasn't your fault." Angela replied, hearing the guilt in his voice. She didn't know if he'd heard her, as he contacted Athena almost instantly.

"Athena, pick us up. We're done here."

Talon base- Unknown location- Two hours later

The day had been long for Lena and Widow. After the dunking they had to endure, they were left in their cell to recover, only being disturbed when Talon supplied them with a small portion of food. The two didn't speak much, neither really knowing what to say. Instead, Lena had found herself cuddling up to Widow, trying to take her mind away from the place she was in.

This was a slightly unusual experience for Widow. Even since she'd first arrived at Overwatch, Lena had been there for her. She'd supported her as her memories returned and had helped her to recover some of her items she owned beforehand. She'd even helped her decide to admit how she felt about Sombra. Not that she ever got the chance to do that.

Right now though, Lena was not herself. Her bubbly, cheeky attitude was gone and she was quiet, pretty much silent. So Widow did what she thought she needed to. She did her best to reassure Lena and gave her someone she could turn to.

Thankfully, Lena still had her accelerator, still inside a clear box in the corner of the room. Talon hadn't attempted to mess with it as they didn't really understand it. However, they had found a cable to charge it up with, meaning there was no way Lena could escape.

Without any warning, the door to their cell opened and three Talon grunts stepped inside. One moved over to the accelerator, picking it up. The other two walked over to Lena, placing a bag over her head so she couldn't see and then pulling her away from Widow, dragging her out of the room.

She had no idea where she was being taken or what Talon had planned for her and Widow. The best idea she had was that Talon were splitting them up to torture them, believing that it would weaken their resolves.

It didn't take long for them to reach their destination and Lena was forced down into a sitting position. The bag was removed from Lena's head and she found herself blinking a couple of times, her eyes adjusting to the bright light above her. After a few seconds, she found herself focusing her eyes in front of her, seeing a sight she hoped she'd never see.

In front of her was Emily, restrained agaisnt the wall in the same way she was when she first arrived. Lena couldn't believe it. Talon had done it. She had no clever remarks or jokes to lighten the mood between her and Emily. Talon had won. She was beaten.

After a short moment, Moira stepped into the room, smirking at the silence between the two lovers. It was clear that Lena felt guilty, probably blaming herself for the entire situation. Now it was time to exploit that guilt.

"I think we all know what will happen if you don't agree so I'll make it simple. Work with us Lena, or Emily here will suffer."

"Don't do it Lena!"

Moira could only chuckle at Emily's defiance, knowing that Lena couldn't resist. She waved at one of the guards who flicked a switch, activating Emily's restraints. Lena closed her eyes, trying to block out the image of Emily being electrocuted by the restraints. It was taking all of her willpower to stop herself giving in. However, eventually Emily couldn't help but scream out in pain and at that moment, Lena's willpower broke down.

"I'LL DO IT, OKAY! JUST STOP! PLEASE!"

Moira raised her hand and the restraints shut off, leaving Emily breathing heavily. She weakly looked up to Lena, seeing her girlfriend broken by Talon. Seconds later, the restraints released and Emily was grabbed by Moira, who threw her towards Lena. She quickly crawled the remaining distance and they both hugged, not wanting to let the other go.

"Let me make this clear miss Oxton. You will do exactly as we say. If you don't, she suffers. You will obey every order we give you, if you don't, she suffers. If you fail any mission we give you, she suffers. Understand?"

"Completely." Lena replied, not looking up at Moira.

Satisfied with what she'd accomplished, Moira stepped out of the room, along with the other Talon soldiers. Once they were alone, Lena didn't hold back any longer and began to shed tears.

"I'm sorry Emily. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you."

"Don't be. This wasn't your fault Lena and I would never blame you."

"But if I'd..."

"Lena, don't blame yourself for something you didn't do... I love you Lena."

"I love you too. I love you so much Emily."

They hugged for another ten minutes, before Lena realised that Emily was shaking. She responded by taking off her jacket and placing it over Emily. Afterwards, the two hugged tightly, keeping each other warm.

Time passed, though Lena and Emily didn't know how long, before the door to their cell opened again. Inside stepped two Talon guards, one of which picked up Lena's accelerator. The other told them to follow him and the two women cautiously stood, following the two guards through the base.

They were lead into another room, that was very different to the one they'd just been in. The first thing they noticed was a large bed, along with a table, chairs, drawers and even a bathroom. On the bed were some clothes, which Lena quickly realised were replacements for her current clothing. The two looked at the guards confused, as they placed down Lena's accelerator and then took it out of the box.

"Get yourself cleaned up and then meet Moira outside." They told Lena, before The two guards left, leaving the two women alone. Emily went to take off Lena's jacket, intending to give it back to her. However, Lena stopped her.

"Keep hold of it for a while. I think you need it more than me."

Emily placed the jacket back on, while Lena stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the bathroom, taking a very quick shower. Talon hadn't really subjected her to anything major and so she had very few injuries. Despite this, the warm water still felt like heaven to her, washing away the dirt that she'd managed to acquire.

After she'd showered and dried herself off, Lena stepped out of the bathroom, seeing Emily sat on the bed and still wearing her jacket. Reluctantly, Emily passed Lena her new clothing and Lena got herself ready. Once changed, she placed her accelerator on, gave Emily a kiss and then stepped out of the room, intending to find Moira. It didn't take her too long, since Moira was waiting for her a few steps away.

"Ah Lena. I have something I need you to do."

"What?" Lena replied, not wanting to be around Moira for a second longer than necessary.

"Amelie won't work with us, not willingly anyway. Her conditioning means that she will last a long time before she begins to break and frankly I don't have the patience for that. So, I want you to convince her to help us."

"How am I supposed to do that exactly?"

"You'll think of something."

Meanwhile, Widow had her eyes closed and was doing her best to keep herself calm. Talon hadn't done anything to her since Lena was taken and it was worrying her. Why hadn't they done anything to her and why had Lena been gone so long? The answer to these questions soon presented itself, as the door to her cell opened and Lena stepped inside.

Widow looked at Lena, seeing her wearing her new outfit. It looked similar to her original, except for the fact that it was completely black. Her call sign was still written on her leggings, yet it was written in red. Widow knew what this meant. Lena must have broke and joined Talon. As the door to the cell closed, Lena walked over to Widow and sat down in front of her.

"They have Emily. I'm sorry Amelie... I couldn't sit and watch her being tourtured. Not if I could stop it."

Widow just slowly nodded. "I'm guessing they want you to convince me to join you?"

"Yeah... Though I'm not here for them." Lena gently placed her hands in Widow's, gripping them for support. "I don't know if I have the strength to do this alone Amelie... I'm not asking for Talon, I'm asking for me. Please Amelie, help me."

Widow sighed, shaking her head at the situation. "What will they do if I say no?"

"I don't know." Lena admitted. "If I had to guess... They'd hurt Emily."

Widow lowered her head. Despite everything Talon had done and how much she hated to do this, Lena was her friend.

"Okay. I'll do it."

"Really?"

"Oui. I'm not doing this for Talon. I'm doing this because you're asking me and because of Emily. I can see how much she means to you."

Lena leaned forward and hugged Widow. "Thank you Amelie. I know this isn't what you wanted..."

"You don't have to explain yourself Lena. I know you wouldn't ask unless you had no other choice."

The door to the cell opened and Lena was allowed to take Widow to her quarters. Once they arrived, Emily jumped up from the bed, seeing Widow for the first time.

"You must be Emily."

"Are you..?"

"Widowmaker? Oui. Though I prefer Amelie." Widow analysed the room they were in, trying to work out what base they were in. This was definitely one of her old quarters, yet Talon had changed the layout of the room, so she didn't immediately recognise it.

"What now?" Lena asked.

"I don't know." Widow replied, giving up trying to work out which base she was in.

"You two will come up with something." Emily said. "I know you will."

"I hope you're right luv."

Lena and Emily both sat on the bed, while Widow sat on a nearby chair, lost in her thoughts. She was trying to work out how the three of them could escape. With every solution she came up, she knew they wouldn't work. There was still some hope however. Widow knew that there was one person in Talon who would still be willing to help her.


	26. Deadlocked

**Deadlocked**

United States- Route 66

McCree and Sombra were currently sat inside the diner, both with a cup of coffee in front of them and a slice of pie in front of McCree. They'd sat at opposites sides of a table, exactly where McCree had sat the last time he was here. The two were currently killing time, waiting for the Deadlock Gang to return to their hideout. They didn't know what they were doing, yet McCree knew for a fact it wasn't good.

As they waited, Sombra had took a sip of her coffee, almost spitting it back out as she tasted it. She looked over to McCree, who was chuckling at her reaction.

"What did I tell you?" He said, as he slid his fork through his pie and scooped it into his mouth.

"Why did you order it then? You can't seriously like this stuff." Sombra replied, as she placed the cup of coffee back on the table and slid it away from her.

"I didn't say I liked it. You get used to it."

"I'll stick to real coffee thanks."

McCree chuckled again, eating a bit more of his pie. "Can't say I blame you."

Sombra sat back into her seat, her mind wondering off into thought. Normally she'd open her computer and look something up but right now, she lacked the motivation to do so. Sure she could search for any new information regarding Widow and Tracer, yet she'd been doing this on the dropship ride here and it was driving her insane. Every time she looked she hit dead end after dead end. She needed a break.

Eventually, Sombra noticed McCree giving her a sceptical look.

"I'm fine." Sombra quickly said, knowing what he was going to ask.

"You are anything but fine." McCree replied, seeing how Sombra was acting anything but normal. "Seriously, you need to talk to someone. Me. The doc. Anyone."

Sombra sighed. "I'm just... worried, okay... They need help and I can't find anything out. I feel so powerless right now."

McCree had another mouthful of pie, placing his fork down and chewing as his phone rang. He reached into his pocket and answered it, keeping his response brief.

"McCree here."

There was a short silence and Sombra couldn't work out what was being said. However, when McCree sighed and placed his head in his free hand, she knew it wasn't good news.

"Got it." McCree said, ending the call and placing his phone away. "Talon got Emily..."

Sombra lowered her head, knowing that the situation just got much worse. She knew that Amelie and Lena were friends, had been ever since they first arrived at Overwatch. She had no idea how Widow would react if Lena joined Talon.

"We need to find something." Sombra muttered.

"Agreed. Let's hope they aren't much longer."

Thankfully, they're weren't. The two had set up a small monitoring device in front of the gangs hideout. After waiting just over five minutes, an alert went off on Sombra's computer. She opened the screen and saw the door to the hideout open, along with numerous Deadlock members and one Talon operative who Sombra recognised instantly. Reaper.

"What's wrong?" McCree asked, noticing Sombra tense up slightly.

"They have company."

Sombra showed McCree the image of the Deadlock Gang, along with Reaper.

"What the hell's he doing here?" McCree asked, only gaining a shrug from Sombra. "Well whatever it is, it ain't good. Let's get over there."

McCree took one more mouthful of his pie, before throwing some money on the table. He and Sombra stood and began making their way towards the Deadlock Gangs hideout.

"How much do you know about Deadlock?" McCree asked Sombra.

"Enough to know who the current members are and that you're a former member. By the way, is there any truth in the rumour that you and Ashe dated?"

"Hell no!" McCree quickly answered. "Ashe is not my type to begin with, let alone the fact that she's completely crazy."

Sombra just grinned. "Don't worry, I believe you."

It didn't take them long to reach the large doors, that concealed the hideout inside. McCree placed a cigar in his mouth, considering how to open the doors.

"Don't suppose you know if they ordered a pizza, do you?" McCree joked, as he lit the cigar and took a puff.

After a brief moment, Sombra opened her computer, wondering how strong the security for the hideout was. Turns out there wasn't any security, so she quickly gained control of the doors and slowly opened them, keeping it as quiet as possible.

"That works." McCree commented, walking up to the doors and pulling out his revolver.

"How long would that have taken without me?" Sombra said, activating her cloak as the doors continued to open.

"Too long." McCree replied, as he focused on the opening doors. Once they were open enough, he aimed his revolver and threw a flashbang inside. One Deadlock member was standing right where he threw it and was unable to recover before McCree punched him, knocking him out.

Unfortunately, there was a second guard, who had now raised his weapon at McCree.

"Boss wants you dead McCree."

"That's a shame. Thought we might catch up on old times." McCree said, seeing Sombra appear next to the guard.

Within moments, she pulled out her weapon and hit the guard over the head, making him lose his footing and move forward. McCree used the opportunity to walk towards the guard, grabbing him and placing them into a headlock. The guard dropped their weapon, instinctively trying to free themselves to no avail. McCree made sure he didn't kill him, instead letting the guard go once they'd passed out.

With the guards out cold, McCree grabbed one by the leg and pulled him out of sight, while Sombra closed the doors, once again keeping it as quiet as she could. Once they were shut and the other guard was hidden, she turned to McCree.

"What's the plan then?"

"Simple. You go invisible and find out what you can. I'll keep them busy, see if I can get anything from Ashe."

"That doesn't sound like the best plan."

McCree chuckled. "True. It'll work though. Ashe has a score she wants to settle and we can't risk them destroying whatever info they have."

Sombra looked at McCree sceptically. "Fine. If a fight starts though, I'm helping you out."

"Fair enough."

Sombra cloaked once again, running off ahead of McCree, who moved slowly through the hideout. He didn't have much trouble, thanks to the fact that the rest of the gang were too busy watching the meeting. As he got closer, he was able to overhear some of the conversation between Ashe and Reaper.

"What do you mean our payment's been reduced? We had a deal!"

"The deal's changed." Reaper told Ashe, not at all phased by her attitude. "Blame the authorites in the UK, they stopped the shipment reaching the US."

"That's your problem, not ours! We could have been doing anything else at that time. Instead, we were sat waiting for a shipment that never came. We should have compensation for our time."

At this point, Reaper threw the case he was holding towards Bob, who was standing behind Ashe. He caught it with ease and opened it, showing the contents to Ashe.

"That's half of what was promised."

"Half isn't good enough." Ashe said sternly, stepping forward and poking Reaper with her finger. "I want what was promi..."

Ashe wasn't able to finish, as Reaper grabbed her throat and dragged her towards him. The other gang members, Bob included, raised their weapons, aiming as best as they could towards Reaper, while not hitting Ashe if they had to fire.

"Let me make one thing clear." Reaper began, seeing Ashe's eyes widen as she was held in place. "I'm not like anyone else you've dealt with from Talon. I'm not as patient for a start and I could easily wipe your little gang out without breaking a sweat. So, half is what you're getting. Have a problem with that?"

Reaper released Ashe, who cleared her throat as she composed herself. She signalled to the rest of the gang to lower their weapons and, one by one, they reluctant did.

"Perhaps I was a little hasty." She admitted. "At least we got something for our time. Most would just refuse to pay."

"Talon will continue to pay you for your time, so long as you get results. Assuming you're still willing to work with us."

"So long as you don't make a habit of this, I'm sure we can come to an agreement."

"Um, boss..."

"Not now." Ashe replied, dismissing whichever gang member tried to get her attention. However, as soon as she dismissed one, another spoke up in their place.

"Boss, you need to see this."

Ashe sighed in annoyance, turning towards the gang members in question. "What? What is so important that..?"

Ashe stopped talking as soon as she saw what the gang members were referring to. Right in front of her stood McCree, who was still smoking his cigar. As she looked at the intruder, the rest of the gang raised their weapons.

"Seems your security isn't up to scratch." Reaper commented, folding his arms and watching the scene in front of him unfold.

"Jesse McCree. You cost us a score the last time you were here." Ashe said, taking her rifle from Bob, who passed it to her.

"Seems you're making deals with the wrong people Ashe." McCree replied, finishing his cigar and throwing it away.

"Who, him?" Ashe said, pointing towards Reaper. "We have an understanding."

"Do you have any idea what that last shipment was?"

Ashe smirked. "Not really my concern. So long as I get paid."

"It was a girl Ashe. A teenage girl that Talon were twisting into a killing machine. That doesn't bother you at all?"

"Like I said. Not my concern."

McCree shook his head. "Human trafficking... That's not your style Ashe."

"Times have changed McCree. You of all people know that."

"Enough." Reaper's sudden interruption caused Ashe to turn towards him. "Talon will pay you a hundred thousand dollars if you kill him right now."

"A hundred thousand? I'm worth that little to you?" McCree replied, moving his hand over his revolver.

"Fine. Five hundred thousand dollars."

Ashe smirked again, turning back to face McCree. "Sorry Jesse. It's just business. KILL HIM!"

McCree grabbed his revolver, raising it and firing at the closest target. He took down his target and then ran for cover, avoiding the barrage of bullets that we're heading his way.

"Always the hard way Ashe." He said to himself, as he reloaded his weapon.

Meanwhile, the Deadlock gang continued to fire at McCree's hiding position, all while Reaper watched, his arms still folded. Eventually, Ashe realised that McCree had nowhere to go.

"Enough playing around. BOB, DO SOMETHING!"

Bob nodded at Ashe, before he dropped the case of money and began running forward. He passed McCree and then stopped a short distance away, turning around and aiming his weapons.

McCree raised his weapon to return fire, yet he never needed to. Bob suddenly lowered his weapons, before falling forward, deactivated. Behind him stood Sombra, who'd clearly hacked the Omnic and shut him down.

The rest of the gang began firing at Sombra, yet she translocated away, teleporting towards the back of the hideout. After a short time, she appeared next to McCree, using the same cover he did.

"Kept them busy then?"

"I thought I'd keep her talking longer if I'm honest." McCree admitted, before pushing Sombra back slightly and then firing his weapon, taking out a gang member who was sneaking up on them.

With that threat eliminated, McCree began thinking over his next move. It didn't take long for an idea to come to mind.

"Any chance you can cause a distraction?" He asked Sombra.

"Consider it done."

Sombra dropped a translocator down next to McCree, before cloaking and running behind the Deadlock gang. At this point, they'd stopped firing at McCree's position and we're waiting for him to make a move.

"Are you going to help?" Ashe asked Reaper, irritated by his inaction.

"Deal was you kill him, not me."

Ashe rolled her eyes, pointing at a couple of her gang members and telling them to push forward. She then pointed to another one and told them to flank around. It was a decent idea, if Sombra wasn't there.

Sombra had managed to find a small stash of grenades, obviously stolen. Remaining cloaked, she picked one up and pulled out the pin, throwing it behind the gang where she knew there wasn't anything important.

As the grenade detonated, the gang all turned different directions, trying to find the person who threw it. Even Reaper seemed slightly shaken by the sudden explosion and Sombra suspected that he knew she was here. With everyone on edge, Sombra took the opportunity to sneak up behind Ashe, leaning next to her ear.

"Boop!"

Ashe immediately turned around, firing her weapon behind her but hitting nothing. Sombra easily avoided the shot and walked behind Ashe again.

"Missed me."

Ashe turned again, this time pulling out her coach gun and firing it. The force sent her slightly backwards, yet she still didn't hit anything.

"Where are you?" Ashe said aloud, aiming her weapon around the room, trying to find the source of the taunts. After a few seconds, she heard the voice once again behind her.

"Been here all along."

Ashe turned and saw Sombra leaning against one of the supports. She, along with the rest of the gang, fired at her, only for Sombra to translocate away. What no one else had noticed was McCree moving into position.

"You know what time it is?"

Ashe didn't need to see McCree to know what he was doing. She ran to her left, taking cover just in time. The rest of the Deadlock gang members were taken out, a single shot killing each one. Reaper meanwhile wraithed the moment he saw McCree, moving away from the now lost battle and disappearing into the back rooms.

Now on her own, Ashe reloaded her rifle, breathing heavily as she looked to her left and right. She was now alone, Bob still wasn't back up and any other gang members wouldn't be back for at least another fifteen minutes. She quickly calmed herself down, taking a quick breath before walking out of cover, aiming her rifle in front of her as she moved towards McCree's last location. She had no idea where Sombra might be but she did her best to focus on one target at a time.

She quickly reached the cover McCree was using and walked behind it, aiming her weapon where she hoped he was. However, McCree wasn't here. With no idea where the two intruders were, Ashe began to walk backwards, slowly turning and scanning the area around her.

Eventually, she stopped moving, hearing someone walking and immediately realising it was McCree. She twisted herself around, intending to shoot him the moment she saw him. However, as soon as she saw him and raised her weapon, she felt an SMG against her head.

"Drop it."

Ashe sighed, lowering her rifle before throwing it away.

"And the other one."

Ashe removed her coach gun, throwing it over to her rifle. With Ashe now weaponless, McCree walked forward, keeping his revolver aimed at her.

"Go check the back room out. Be careful, Reaper's still around here." McCree told Sombra, knowing he could handle Ashe. Sombra removed her weapon from Ashe's head, before cloaking and running off towards the back room.

"Well, that's cheating." Ashe commented, as Sombra vanished from sight.

"What are you playing at Ashe?" McCree asked, intending to get as much information out of her as possible.

"We still on about that shipment?"

"Working with Talon. Why would you think that was a good idea?

Ashe shrugged. "Whatever makes us money."

McCree shook his head. "Do you know where the Talon base is?"

"Now why would I..."

"No more games Ashe." McCree said, not prepared to waste anymore time. "Yes or no!"

Ashe seemed to get the hint and got straight to the point.

"No. The best we got was a computer to contact them from. Said it was for security reasons. It's sitting in the back room."

If that were the truth, then McCree knew Sombra would find it. He suspected that Ashe was telling the truth though. This whole mission was a massive stab in the dark to begin with and it was very unlikely they would actually find something. However, there was still one more thing that McCree wanted to know and he hoped Ashe had an answer to it.

"Why was Reaper here?"

"We were meant to pick up some cargo from Boston and then drop it off somewhere in Nevada. They wouldn't tell us where until we'd confirmed the pick up. However, it didn't arrive. So he was here to explain why our time was wasted."

"Why him though? They could have sent anyone but they sent one of their best agents instead."

Ashe only shrugged again, signalling to McCree that she didn't know. He knew it was a long shot but it was worth a try nonetheless.

"You know, it never needed to be this way Ashe."

"We all made our choices. Now we just have to live with them."

McCree chuckled, pulling out a cigar and lighting it. "Suppose you're right. Sorry by the way."

"For what? The mess you've caused?"

"Nope. The headache."

Ashe gave McCree a confused look, not understanding what he meant. It all became clear once he pulled out a flashbang and then flipped his revolver around, so that he was holding the barrel.

"Don't you dare."

McCree didn't give Ashe the chance to move, throwing his flashbang before proceeding to knock her out. He then began searching for something to tie up her hands, so that she wouldn't be a problem if she woke up.

Meanwhile, Sombra had reached the back room and was slightly surprised to see that no one was there. With nobody to deal with, she quickly located the computer Ashe had told McCree about. It was a small laptop and without even turning it on, Sombra guessed that it was here so that Talon and the Deadlock Gang could speak.

She walked over to the laptop and gently opened it, pressing the power button and turning it on. It didn't take her long to find a number of messages from Talon, as well as a few documents saved onto the hard drive.

After opening up her own computer and hacking into the laptop, Sombra began a scan, hoping that she could find something that helped lead them to Amelie and Lena. At this point, she'd take anything.

"What are you doing here?"

Normally, Sombra would have spun around and aimed her weapon. Thankfully, she recognised the voice and knew she wasn't in any danger. Any immediate danger anyway. After a short silence between the two, Sombra slowly turned around and faced Reaper, not quite sure what to say.

Once he saw Sombra's face, Reaper knew something was wrong. Sombra looked extremely guilty and he had expected some sort of smart remark as a reply. Instead, she seemed to be struggling to find the words to speak.

"You're unusually quiet?"

"Gabe..." Sombra finally said, knowing she had to tell him. "It's Amelie..."

"What's happened?"

"She's... Talon got her. They captured her and Tracer..."

Reaper suddenly moved forward, turning into a cloud of smoke before reappearing in front of Sombra. Even with his mask on, she could tell he was pissed.

"What do you mean they captured her? You were meant to look after her!"

At this point, Sombra had started to walk back, forgetting about the laptop and the scan currently underway. She was honestly frightened and had no idea what Reaper would do next.

"We were on a mission... Her team was attacked..."

"Why exactly was she in the field to begin with?!" Reaper asked, his anger extremely clear in his voice.

"It... it was her choice." Sombra replied, finally reaching the side of the room and backing up against the wall. "She wanted to help Overwatch."

"I wanted her out of danger, out of Talon's hands! Now she's right back where she started!"

I'm... I'm sorry Gabe..."

"Don't call me that."

Before Reaper could continue, the laptop made a loud ping, signalling that something had been found.

"Guess you're looking for a base location then? Trying to find her before Talon does any serious damage?"

Sombra just nodded, before reluctantly opening her computer. Reaper leaned back, allowing her room to use her tech, yet she still felt very threatened by him. After glancing through the results of the scan, she found a location that one of the messages had been sent from.

"The messages on that laptop came from a base in Nevada." She reported, only to gain a light chuckle from Reaper.

"She isn't there. That base was destroyed recently."

Sombra closed her computer, completely out of ideas. She had nothing. No location, no rumours, no backdoor. All she could do was lower her head, felling totally defeated.

"I guess I'll have to get her out then."

"Do you need..?"

"You've done enough already. I don't need your help."

Reaper began to walk away but didn't get far. Sombra grabbed onto his arm, attempting to stop him. In response, he pulled out one of his weapons and aimed it towards her.

"I don't. Need. Your. Help." He repeated slowly, before he heard the sound of a revolver being readied. He turned around to see McCree aiming at him, with a flashbang in his other hand in case he needed it.

Reaper and McCree stared at each other, waiting to see what the other did next. It was Reaper who finally moved, lowering his weapon and stepping away from Sombra slightly. After staring at each other for a few moments longer, McCree spoke.

"You weren't given those guns to toss 'em around like trash!"

"I don't take lessons from you." He turned back to Sombra. "I'll sort your mess out. You just stay out of my way."

With that, Reaper vanished, turning into a cloud of black smoke and flying out of the room. Once he was gone, Sombra leaned back agaisnt the wall, before sliding down it and sitting. She honestly wanted to cry and was barely holding herself together. Any trust Reaper had in her was now long gone.

"How long were you there?" Sombra managed to ask after McCree placed away his revolver and walked over to the laptop.

"Long enough." He replied, looking at the laptop screen briefly before turning to face Sombra. "Care to fill in the gaps?"

Sombra took a deep breath. "Long story short, he told me to befriend Amelie and then tell him when her conditioning began to break down. I didn't do that. Instead, I broke her out. Turns out that's exactly what Reyes wanted to do all along."

"What? Why would he..?" McCree paused. It all suddenly began to make sense. "After all this time, he's still loyal to Gerard."

He looked down at Sombra, who just weakly nodded in agreement. While he may have known a little more about Reaper's motives, he still didn't know anything about hers.

"So why did you help her?"

"Because... because I saw her files. I saw what they put her through, what they did to her. No one cared about her and no one was coming to save her. In the end, I saw too much of myself in her. She needed someone... So, I was that person... Now I've failed her."

McCree moved over and sat down next to Sombra. He could tell that she was telling the truth, it was clear in the way she was acting. In all honesty, he was surprised she was still holding herself together the way she was.

"You didn't fail her. If anything, we failed her. We gave up on her. From what I heard, she trusted you with her life when you helped her escape Talon. You've been there for her while she recovered and you two are clearly friends. So, you didn't fail her. Trust me, we will find her again."

"Where do we even start? I don't have anything to go off."

"You're the world's best hacker. You'll think of something."

Sombra gave McCree a weak smile, before he stood up, offering a hand and helping her back onto her feet.

"By the way, what do you mean you saw too much of yourself in her?" McCree asked, walking over to the laptop and picking it up.

"I didn't have a good upbringing... or any upbringing if I'm honest... It's not something I want to talk about."

"Fair enough." McCree replied, considering that was the most any Overwatch agent had actually gotten out of her.

The two began to leave, heading back through the hideout. However, before they reached the main room, they heard someone shouting up.

"What the..? McCree?! McCree, where the hell are you?!"

They soon reached the source of the shouting and Sombra was slightly surprised at what she saw. Ashe had her hands tied up and was currently sitting against a crate of stolen goods.

"Untie me right now!"

McCree chuckled, handing the laptop to Sombra and walking over to Ashe. "You know, I think I'm good."

"Come on Jesse. It was only business. You always knew you were my favourite."

Ashe fluttered her eyes at McCree, acting as innocent as she could. In return, McCree leaned agaisnt the crate, looking straight at Ashe.

"Since you put it that way. No."

At this point Ashe gave up, realising she couldn't win. "I should have shot you when we first met."

McCree chuckled at her remark, patting her on the head as he walked past. "Till the next time Ashe."

"Um, McCree?" Sombra said, stopping the cowboy before he got too far. "What about the money?"

McCree thought for a moment. "Well, we can't exactly leave it for a criminal gang to use... Better take it with us."

"Wait, that's mine!" Ashe shouted, as she watched McCree walk over to the briefcase containing the money Reaper handed over. She could do nothing but watch as the two walked away with it.

"McCree! Come back here with my money! McCree! MCCREE!"

Watchpoint Gibraltar

While McCree and Sombra were on their way back to the Watchpoint, Soldier 76, Mercy and Pharah were just approaching the base. The journey had been practically silent, with only the odd word spoken between Angela and Fareeha.

Morrison was blaming himself for Emily's kidnapping, convinced that he'd made a bad call. If he'd just listened to Angela and gone for her earlier, perhaps she'd be here now. The fact that they'd failed and that Lena would now likely be working for the enemy had knocked his confidence. Angela had tried to tell him that it wasn't his fault, yet Morrison wasn't listening.

"Now approaching Watchpoint Gibraltar. Prioritising landing."

As the dropship made its final approach to the watchpoint, Fareeha noticed something different about the base. She quickly waved Angela over, wanting to make sure she wasn't imagining it.

"You seeing what I am?"

"I don't believe it... Jack, you need to see this."

"Not now Angela." He grumbled, wanting to be left alone.

"Seriouly Jack. You need to see this."

Morrison sighed, picking up his pulse rifle and walking over to see what Angela was talking about. Before he got to the window, the dropship landed and the doors opened. It was at this moment that Morrison saw what Angela was trying to tell him and he was left speechless at the sight.

The Watchpoint was packed full of people, each one busy with some task. There were engineers working on numerous dropships, soldiers patrolling the base and he even spotted Reinhardt, ordering people to various locations. As he stepped off the dropship, a group of four soldiers saluted.

"Commander Morrison. Welcome back." One of the soliders said. Ironically, it was the same soldier that had given Morrison Fareeha's equipment back in Egypt.

"At ease soldier." Morrison said. "Anything I need to know?"

"Captain Amari wishes to speak to you sir. She's in Winston's lab."

"Understood. Anything else?"

The soldier seemed to hesitate, before speaking up again. "Permission to speak freely?"

"Granted."

"Damn good to have you back sir."

Several nearby soldiers signalled their agreement, before a loud cheer followed. No one saw, thanks to his visor but Morrison actually smiled upon hearing this.

"As you were."

"Yes sir." The soldier turned around. "You heard the commander! Move out!"

Everyone went back to their tasks and the dropship that carried the team in took off again, moving back into the hanger so someone could look it over. Angela now stepped forward, stopping once she was next to Morrison.

"What exactly did you say when you did the recall?"

"What needed to be said. Seems you have some work to do doc."

Angela chuckled. "Seems that way. At least I'll have some help now."

"I'll help out if you need it Ang." Fareeha commented, which was rewarded with a smile from Angela.

"Thanks Faree. I'm guessing I'll need it."

The three parted ways, Angela and Fareeha heading towards the medical bay, while Morrison headed towards Winston's lab. On the way, he spotted some Crusaders, who were all grouped up and trading stories with each other. Once the leader of the group saw Morrison, he stood and did a warriors salute.

"Reinhardt told us you needed some help. So just point us at the enemy."

Morrison nodded towards the German, who nodded back, before the group returned back to their original conversation. As Morrison continued towards the lab, soldiers all stopped and saluted, signalling their respect. With each soldier he passed, Morrison's confidence returned, seeing so many people willing to follow him.

It wasn't long before he reached the lab, stepping inside and seeing a number of people on computers. Each one was co-ordinating with Athena, keeping track of incoming soldiers, supplies as well as communications. Oddly, DVa's Meka was still inside the lab and both Torb and Brigitte were currently working on it.

"Why is that still in here?" He asked Torb.

"It's heavy and everyone's busy. We can't move it to my workshop."

"There's a group of crusaders in the hanger. Go ask them to give you a hand."

"Crusaders? Reinhardt didn't tell me they'd arrived." Brigitte commented, before running off towards the hanger. Torb just shook his head, before slowly walking after her.

With both the engineers out of the lab, Morrison walked up to the main office, where both Winston and Ana were overseeing the entire operation. As he entered the room, both Winston and Ana turned to him.

"Status report?"

"Watchpoint Gibraltar is currently operating at eighty three point two five percent efficiency." Athena reported, with a number of graphs and charts appearing on the nearby screens.

"Good. What about troops?"

"I cannot give a total at the moment. However, there are currently seventeen full squads available for deployment, with more arrivals incoming."

"Whatever you said, it evidently worked." Ana commented, while Winston turned back to his computer, continuing what he was originally doing.

"Anything else I should know?"

"Zarya's reported that she's satisfied with Katya Volskaya's current security and she's on her way back." Winston answered, not looking up from his computer. "She should be back within the next few hours. Also, DVa is currently in Korea, something about Meka, though she wasn't clear. She said she'd be away for a few days."

"Okay. Any luck with locating Lena and Amelie."

Winston just shook his head.

"Keep me posted on any new developments."

As Morrison looked out of the window, watching the base operate once again, Ana noticed that there was something on his mind.

"Everything alright Jack? You seemed troubled."

There was a short delay, before Morrison answered Ana.

"I'll talk to you about it later."

Talon base- Unknown location- Two hours later

"I have to admit, I did not expect results so quickly Moira. Tracer perhaps but not Widowmaker."

Doomfist and Moira were currently sat at a desk, having an informal meeting between them. Doomfist wanted an update on the progress that had been made with Tracer and Widow. He knew what Moira had planned, after all, he was the one who'd brought Tracer's girlfriend to her. However, he had not exepect both Tracer and Widowmaker to agree to work with them so quickly.

"Miss Oxton was very easy to manipulate once her girlfriend was here. Widowmaker on the other hand was quite surprising. I had expected some resistance when Tracer went to talk to her. The fact she agreed to help her the moment she asked is... useful."

"Useful? How so?"

"I don't believe Widowmaker is the same woman she was before she left. I think she's more like her old self, before the conditioning. This means she's easier to persuade and manipulate. Miss Oxton is the key to this. From what I've seen, they trust each other. They're clearly friends. So, I do not believe that Widow will attempt to escape again. Not while Tracer has a reason to be here... They could be very valuable assets."

"Are you suggesting that we send them into the field?" Doomfist asked, suspecting where Moira's train of thought was going.

"Indeed I am. We have an insurance policy and a way to keep an eye on their movements. Even then, I'm certain they won't try to escape. So long as Emily remains in Talon's custody, they won't leave."

Doomfist took a moment to consider the proposal. "What sort of mission do you have in mind then?"

"Something simple, or at least simple by their standards." Moira sat back and thought. After a short pause, Moira had an idea. "Has anyone been sent to recover that data from Meka?"

"No, not yet. I had intended to send Reyes once he'd returned."

"I think Reyes needs a bit of a break. After all, he's been on two assignments in a short space of time."

Doomfist nodded. "Very well. I'll order the operation and have them deployed in the next couple of days... While we're on the subject of Reyes, has he been informed?"

"About Amelie? No."

"Good. Keep him out of the loop until he returns. I will tell him personally. Out of curiosity, how goes your research on the nanotech?"

"It is progressing. However, without Mercy, it's painfully slow. I've made breakthroughs, yet I still need more time."

"Then you'll have it. Your work is critical to our mission. Do you need anything else?"

"That body you recovered will be of great assistance. Mei I believe her name was... Otherwise, I can't think of anything right now."

There was another short silence, before Moira changed the topic once again.

"Morrison sent out another recall. Stood up and sent the message himself."

"Excellent. Everything is falling into place."

"We can't be sure if anyone will listen to him."

"Oh, they'll listen. With opinion of Overwatch the way it is, people will be more than willing to help them. Now all we need is for the UN to make its decision on the Petras Act."

"And what then? You've been rather selective when it comes to that part of your plan."

Doomfist smirked. "Once the UN revokes the Petras Act and Overwatch are reinstated... then we move forward with our plans. The world sees Talon as a great threat, a threat that must be dealt with. Despite their best efforts, we are always one step ahead of them. So, they must adapt to this new threat. Only through conflict will humanity evolve and Overwatch will be the catalyst to this conflict."

One hour later

It was just over an hour later when Reaper finally arrived at the Talon base. On his way back, he'd given a report on what had happened at Route 66, explaing how McCree and Sombra had interrupted the meeting and how he was forced to fall back. He'd been selective of what details he said though and had neglected to mention the conversation he had with Sombra.

As the dropship began its final approach, Reaper thought over what his next move would be. He knew Talon weren't being completely honest with him recently. After all, they hadn't told him they'd captured Fareeha back when Mercy was taken. Now the first he'd heard about Widow being captured was from Sombra. The more he thought about it, the more he considered they were suspicious of him.

Talon being suspicious of him was somewhat understandable anyway. Reaper wasn't particularly loyal to Talon or its cause. At first, he was simply using them as a means to an end, to track down the former members of Overwatch. When he realised that Widowmaker was in fact Amelie Lacroix, things changed.

Reaper's original motives may have been pushed aside but it didn't mean he's feelings towards Overwatch had changed. He still hated them and wasn't planning to lift a finger to help Tracer escape. However, he was determined to find a way to get Amelie out again.

As he continued to think, he thought of a number of ways to do this. One was to have her accompany him on a mission and then have her escape. Though he knew that would take time to do properly. Another option way was to use Tracer to make Amelie's escape easier. He'd have to consider further how that would work. Then there was he quickest and easiest way. Betray Talon. He didn't know if that was an appropriate option yet.

The dropship touched down at the base long before Reaper could decide what to do. He needed a lot longer to do that. Once the doors of the dropship opened, Reaper stood and walked out, not surprised when he found Doomfist waiting for him.

"I've read your report Reyes."

"You sure Sombra's out of the system this time?" Reaper asked, not needing an explanation of how Overwatch knew about the meeting.

"I'm sure. After the Numbani op, it was clear she was still in our systems. Her back door has been closed and the networks security is being tightened."

"Make sure whoever does it knows who they're dealing with. Never can be too careful with Sombra."

"Don't worry Reyes, they know. In any case, I have something to show you."

Reaper knew why Doomfist was here. It was obvious. Nevertheless, he played along.

"Must be important if your here waiting for me. Lead the way."

The two began walking through the Talon facility, heading towards the command centre. As they walked, Doomfist was approached by a few soldiers, each passing him a report which he nodded at, before passing it back and the trooper went about their business. Reaper didn't know what these reports said but frankly, he didn't care.

As they arrived at the command centre, Doomfist walked over to a small screen and waved Reaper over. Once he was close enough, Reaper saw a live feed of the firing range, along with three women, two of which he recognised.

"Recaptured Widowmaker I see. And you captured Tracer... Not bad."

"Thank you Reyes."

"Can't say I recognise the other girl. Who is she?"

"She's miss Oxton's girlfriend. As soon as we captured her, Tracer was more than willing to work with us."

"Why's she in the firing range then? Not making her an agent are you?"

"Not at all Reyes. She's... motivation. To remind miss Oxton what is at stake."

"What about Widowmaker?"

"She agreed to work with us after Tracer spoke to her. Not exactly sure what she said but it clearly worked."

"Didn't think it would be that easy."

"I must admit, I'm surprised by this as well. We're planing to send them both on a mission very soon..."

Reaper turned to Doomfist, slightly surprised by this development. "That's a bit risky don't you think? Tracer might not try anything while her girlfriend's here but there's nothing stopping Widow."

"We've thought of that. Both Widow and Tracer have been fitted with trackers, so we can monitor where they go. However, while you're quite right that Tracer won't likely try anything, I don't think Widow will either."

"And why's that?

"She seems to have some sort of loyalty to Tracer. Evidently they're friends. While Tracer is here, Widow seems willing to stay."

Reaper nodded, turning back to the screen and watching Widow and Tracer prepare for their mission. "You want me on their next mission then? Keep an eye on them?"

At this point, Doomfist folded his arms, glancing at the screen for a brief moment before looking back up at Reaper. "I thought you needed a break. After all, you've been on two missions in a row."

"Is it a stealth mission?"

"It is."

"Then it'll be best if I'm there. I can tell you from experience that Tracer is useless at stealth ops. She'll end up alerting the entire enemy force if you let her go alone."

"She'll be with Widowmaker, who is an expert at stealth ops. Besides, I'm sure they can handle themselves if anything goes wrong."

Reaper shook his head. "Fine. Just don't say I didn't warn you. Need anything else?"

"Not right now. I'll have someone find you if I need you."

Reaper grumbled to himself, before leaving the command centre. He began to walk towards his own quarters, the occasional Talon soldier stepping out of his way as he passed through. It wasn't a long journey and he quickly reached his destination. Once inside his quarters, Reaper closed the door and took a seat on a nearby chair.

Here, he began to think over the issue once again, trying to work out what he was going to do next. He knew it would be difficult to get Widow out at the moment, since Talon was watching her like a hawk. This wouldn't be as easy as just letting her escape either. He would have to plan this very carefully, thinking through every little detail. It would be difficult but it wasn't impossible. All he needed was a way to break her out.


	27. Hopelessness

**Hopelessness**

Talon dropship- The next day

Lena couldn't believe she was in this situation. Forced to work for the enemy or watch as they hurt the woman she loved. She knew her orders, what Talon had told her to do and she hated it. She hated having to come on this mission. She hated the fact she had to leave Emily in Talon's clutches. She even hated the clothes that she was currently wearing. The only comfort she had was that Widow was here with her.

Across from her, Widow sat checking over her equipment. Talon had cleaned up her rifle and repaired her grappling hook. However, unlike Tracer, Talon hadn't given Widow a new outfit, instead leaving her in the one Torb had made.

Their orders were to infiltrate the MEKA base in Busan and recover the intel Talon wanted from its main computer systems, which including blueprints for new weapons. Neither knew why Talon wanted this information but right now they didn't care. It wasn't like either of them could do anything about it.

Eventually, after a long, silent journey, the pilot's voice was heard over the dropships intercom.

"We're ten minutes out."

"What's the plan when we arrive?" Lena reluctantly asked Widow, as she checked over her pulse pistols. Talon had painted them black, to match the rest of her outfit. At this point, the only thing that hadn't been messed with was her accelerator. At least, she hoped Talon hadn't messed with it.

Widow looked up from her rifle, acknowledging the first words spoken between her and Lena since they'd taken off.

"We're going to be dropped off some distance away from the base. We need to quietly make our way there on foot and find a terminal, so we can access their network. Then we get out quickly and quietly for extraction."

Lena nodded. "What if we're spotted?"

"Then we adapt. Talon doesn't really care how it's done, so long as we get the intel they want."

The two returned to their preparations, looking over their equipment, while remaining silent. Once the dropship arrived at the landing zone, the two agents stepped off, watching the dropship take off again and fly away.

Now that they were alone, Widow turned to Lena.

"You're worried about something. Is it Emily?"

"Partly. I'm worried that they'll do something to her while we're here. But I'm also worried about this mission. I'm no good at stealth Amelie, never have been. My entire fighting style is built around speed and mobility. That, along with the fact my accelerator glows bright blue means I stick out like a sore thumb."

Widow nodded, understanding Lena's concerns. "I can't promise you I'm right, but I'm pretty sure Talon won't hurt Emily while we're here. She's their leverage against you, so hurting or killing her would be counterproductive. As for this mission, stay close and follow my lead. A base such as this will be full of lights, so as long as we move carefully, we shouldn't be detected."

Lena nodded her head, giving Widow a weak smile in return. As the two began to head towards the base, Lena spoke up again.

"Amelie?"

"Oui?"

"I know I've said this already but thank you, for being here with me. I couldn't do this alone."

Widow smiled, stopping and placing her hand on Lena's shoulder. "You don't need to thank me Lena. You've been there as my conditioning broke down and helped me through everything I went through. So, it's safe to say I owe you a few favours."

Lena chuckled, the first time since being captured. "I'll make sure I remember that."

Winston's lab- Watchpoint Gibraltar

Winston sat at his desk, his hands agaisnt his chin as he pondered over his next move. On the desk in front of him sat the crumpled remains of Snowball, partly opened up and with various damaged parts removed. Winston had taken it upon himself to try and repair Snowball, hoping he could recover some data from the small robot that could lead them towards Lena and Amelie. If not, at least he could confirm what happened to Mei.

As Winston considered what he needed to do in order to repair the small robot, he glanced over to the screen on his left, which was displaying updates from the ongoing debate at the UN. Despite the amount of people who had joined up, Winston knew it wouldn't be enough. In order to beat Talon and keep them down, they needed official backing, as well as all the resources and manpower they could get.

After looking at the screen for a few moments, Winston returned to the task at hand, removing another damaged panel from Snowball and placing it in the growing pile of damaged parts. As he began analysing the internal components, Morrison entered the lab, clearing his throat to gain Winston's attention.

"Any updates?" Morrison asked, when Winston looked up at him a few moments later.

"The UN's still debating the Petras Act. Though more countries seem to be agreeing that Overwatch is needed."

"I meant about Lena and Amelie."

Winston sighed. "No. Even with everything we have looking for them, there isn't a whisper."

"Talon's playing their cards wisely." Morrison said, as he analysed the information on the nearby screen. "They know we're looking for them and they know their conditioning methods don't work as effectively as they thought. Hopefully, that'll give us some time."

There was a short silence between the two, as Winston continued his work on Snowball. After he took out a few damaged components from inside the small robot, Morrison broke the silence.

"Be honest with me Winston. If the UN voted on the Petras Act right now, would it be revoked?"

"No." Winston quickly replied.

"Okay. So what will it take to get them to change their minds?"

Winston stopped what he was doing, looking back up and turning towards Morison.

"Honesty, I'm not sure. They've been talking about having someone from Overwatch answer questions and address the concerns the UN has. However, I have no idea if it's even a good idea to send anyone. Firstly, we'd need to send the right person, someone good with people. Then there's the fact that Talon want the act revoked... I'm not comfortable with the fact we're doing exactly what they want."

"The Petras Act will be revoked, Talon will make sure of that. The best we can do is have it revoked on our terms, not theirs."

Winston thought over what Morrison said. "We're playing right into Talon's hands."

"I know. I don't like it but we don't have much of a choice. In any case, if the UN want someone to talk to, then I think we need to send someone... and I have just the right person in mind."

MEKA headquarters- Busan- One hour later

It had taken some time for Tracer and Widow to get close to the base, sitting and waiting for the right moment before moving in. It was around midday when they finally moved, Widow grappling up to the nearest ledge, carrying both her and Tracer up into the base.

The two immediately took cover, keeping out of sight as Widow activated her thermal goggles and analysed the area. The base itself was full of activity, with soldiers and MEKA pilots moving around the facility.

"There's a lot of people here." Lena whispered, as she peered around the corner slightly. "How are we going to get through undetected?"

Widow looked around for a few more moments, before forming a improvised plan. "I think we should head towards the pilots quarters and try to find a computer there."

"Won't that be a personal computer? Don't we need intel, blueprints, that sort of stuff?" Lena asked, concerned with getting what they needed.

"As long as it's connected to the network, it'll work. The drive Talon gave us will hack in and download what we need."

Lena slowly nodded. "Okay. How do we get there?"

"There's a route heading downwards to the right. We'll go that way once there's a gap in their security and avoid the main areas. Hopefully, we can get close to the quarters that way."

With a makeshift plan in place, the two prepared to move. Widow kept her goggles active and held a hand up, signalling to Lena when she should move. As the guards and MEKA personnel moved around, Widow saw an opening and quickly lowered her hand, deactivating her goggles as they both ran inside.

Widow's timing was perfect, as the two managed to run inside without a single person or camera seeing them. Once they were in cover again, Widow reactivated her goggles and checked ahead of them, turning them off again once she was satisfied they were clear.

They continued to move forward, keeping themselves in the shadows as best as possible. This wasn't as easy a task for Lena, as the glow from her accelerator pretty much gave away her position. Fortunately, Widow was staying close by, using herself as a way to block as much of the glow as possible. They also had yet to encounter any guards, something they were both grateful for and concerned about.

Eventually though, their luck ran out, as they encountered two guards on patrol. They had their backs to them, which gave Widow and Lena the chance to move into position. They waited behind a corner, listening to the guards conversation as they waited for them to split up. Neither knew what the guards were talking about, yet it didn't matter.

After a short wait, the guards began laughing, clearly at a joke the one told the other, before they split up. The one remaining where he was, while the other turned and began walking towards Widow and Lena.

Widow passed Lena her rifle and waited for the guard to move closer. Once he was in range, Widow ran out and grabbed him, covering his mouth and quickly dragging him into cover. The other guard briefly looked back, shrugging his shoulders and turning around when he saw nothing.

Widow forced the guard into a headlock, holding him in place until he passed out. Once he was out could, she gently let him go, placing him against the wall. She then took her weapon back from Lena and walked out of cover, heading towards the second guard.

The second guard heard her footsteps and said something in Korean. After not getting an answer to whatever question he asked, he turned around, seeing Widow far too late to do anything about it. She quickly punched the guard in the face, causing him to stumble forward, before following her attack up by walking in front and hitting him with her rifle.

The guard fell backwards, unable to reach for either his weapon or radio before Widow hit him with her rifle again, this time knocking him out. She then grabbed the unconscious guard and dragged him to Lena, placing him next to the other guard.

With the way now clear, Widow and Lena moved forward once again, leaving the underground area after Widow confirmed there were no guards nearby. They kept moving towards the quarters, getting close before they had to take cover again. They watched as a small group of MEKA pilots walked by, talking to each other about their various missions. However, as they passed by, Lena realised that she recognised one of them.

"That group of pilots that just went past." Lena began, keeping her voice down. "Hana was with them."

"DVa?" Widow asked, slightly confused by this. "Why would she be here?"

"I don't know. She used to be part of MEKA but she said she gave it up in order to help us. Unless..."

"Unless?"

Lena shook the thought away. "It doesn't matter right now. I'm guessing the quarters is empty right now, so let's get in and out while we have the chance."

Widow decided not to press the matter, instead peering out and deciding when to move. After a few moments, Widow gave the signal and the two ran out towards the pilots quarters, reaching their destination very quickly. However, they soon reached a massive hurdle, as the door to the net room was protected by a keypad.

"This makes things difficult." Lena commented. "Any ideas?"

"One and you won't like it." Widow replied. "We need to force one of the pilots to open it."

"No, there has to be another way."

"There isn't time. It's this or we fight our way to the main control centre."

Lena lowered her head, breathing in heavily as she accepted what had to be done. "Fine, how we doing this?"

"I'll go find someone. You stay here and keep out of trouble... And try to look intimidating when I bring them here."

"Intimidating? Look at me, I'm not scary. I couldn't intimidate anyone."

"You're wearing Talon clothes Lena. You need to make it work."

Lena wanted to object but found herself unable to. There was too much at stake. She reluctantly nodded, moving out of sight as Widow ran off to find one of the MEKA pilots.

Lena was on edge the entire time, half expecting someone to walk around the corner and blow the entire op. Her thoughts turned to Emily, hoping that she was okay, before returning to the mission.

Thankfully, Lena didn't have to wait long. After about five minutes, or what Lena thought was five minutes, Widow dragged a young girl to the door. She was pushed right up to the keypad, being held by the back of her neck as Widow gave her an order.

"Open it."

The pilot didn't move or respond. Widow pressed her forward, forcing her closer to the keypad.

"I said open it!" She growled, while she kept her voice down.

"No! I'm not doing what you say."

Widow now aggressively moved the young girl, forcing her to face Lena.

"You know who she is, right?"

The pilot nodded.

"She isn't the same person anymore. She's Talon now, twisted into working for us. Now, unless you want the same fate, I advise you be a good little girl and open the door."

The pilot looked at Lena, clearly in disbelief that Tracer of all people was working for Talon. At this point, Lena had picked up on what Widow was trying to do and went along with it, not liking one second of it.

"You heard her, didn't you? Open the door!"

Slowly, the pilots head lowered, before reluctantly raising her hand and typing in the passcode. Once the doors opened, Widow pushed the girl inside, Lena following close behind.

As soon as the doors shut behind them, Widow threw the girl down at the side of the room and walked over to the first computer she could find.

"Tracer, keep an eye on her."

Lena moved in front of the girl, folding her arms while she watched her. Fortunately, the girl didn't try anything, meaning that Lena didn't have to do anything but stand still and look tough.

While Lena watched the girl, Widow activated the computer, inserting the Talon drive into it and starting the retrieval program. Within moments, the drive began hacking into the system, finding the files Talon were after and copying them.

"Okay, we're in. It'll take about five minutes."

Ten minutes earlier

It was quite a surprise when Hana arrived back at MEKA. She'd been away for a long time now, so the pilots wasted no time catching up. Even Dae-hyun had found some time away from his work, joining with the small group as they welcomed Hana back. Now, they were all currently sat in the pilots quarters in a circle, listening as Hana told them of her time with Overwatch.

"So, let me get this straight. You've destroyed your last mech and are back to get another one?" Dae-hyun asked, making sure he heard Hana's story correctly.

"Not exactly. Firstly, I didn't destroy it. More, heavily damaged it."

"Yeah because that makes it sound so much better Hana." DMon said, causing DVa to roll her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up Yuna. Anyway, that isn't the only reason I'm here."

"So why are you here? Decided to come say hi to your old team?" King said, joking around.

Hana paused for a moment. "I'm guessing you all know that Overwatch is making a comeback?"

The rest of the group all nodded.

"Well, I know what I'm about to ask next is a big ask but we need everyone we can get. I asking you guys for help. Overwatch needs help.

"You want us to join Overwatch?" DMon asked, slightly in disbelief.

"Yeah. I wouldn't normally ask but I know all of you would make a big difference."

"Even if we wanted to Hana, Captain Myung wouldn't let us go off on our own. We'd have to leave Meka, meaning we wouldn't have our mechs." Overlord commented, gaining a few nods in agreement.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Casino replied. "After all, Hana managed to take hers."

"Yeah but there's a good reason for that, isn't there Hana?" Dae-hyun said, already suspecting that there was something else going on.

Hana quickly felt the eyes of the other pilots fall on her, all wanting an explanation.

"Yeah, he's right. When I left, I didn't exactly leave Meka. I can't tell you any more than that, not unless Myung let's me."

The group fell silent, all thinking about what Hana's comments meant. After a long silence, DMon spoke up.

"Well, you can count me in Hana."

"Really?"

"Of course. If you say it'll help, then I'm right there with you."

"Count me in as well." Overlord added.

"Me too." Casino said.

"I suppose I'm not up to much else." King commented, signalling his support.

"Any chance you need an mechanic?"

Hana turned to Dea-hyun. "We need anyone we can get. If you're sure that's what you want."

"I'm sure. After all, someone needs to make sure your mechs are working properly after you smash them up."

Hana smiled. "Thank you, all of you. This will really help. We should probably go talk to Captain Myung though. She needs to know."

The group all stood up, leaving the quarters and heading towards Myung's office. Before they got even half way though, Hana heard a frustrated sigh from DMon.

"What's wrong Yuna?"

"I left something in my room. Won't be long, I'll catch you guys up."

Hana went to object, planning to tell her to pick it up later, yet Yuna was gone quicker than she expected. The pilots just rolled their eyes, before continuing on. Once they reached the office, Hana knocked on the door, waiting for Myung to give permission to enter. Once she heard that permission, Hana, along with the rest of the group stepped inside, closing the door behind them.

"DVa. How can I help you?" Myung said, not looking up from what she was doing.

"Permission to speak off the record ma'am?"

Myung looked up from her desk. "Granted. I'm guessing you've spoken to your squad. How much do they know?"

"Only what I'm authorised to say ma'am."

Myung gave a sharp nod, before opening a draw on her desk and pulling out a file, placing it on her desk. On the front of the file were the words 'Top Secret,' written in Korean.

"Time to bring you all up to speed. As I'm guessing DVa's already told you, she didn't actually leave Meka when she left for Overwatch. Her place in Overwatch is all part of a plan to help them in any way we can. At the same time, she's been passing on any intel she could, so that we could try to understand Talon better."

"Was this a sanctioned op ma'am?" King asked.

"It was, though I don't know how high up the chain of command this goes, way above my pay grade it seems. Whoever gave the order wanted one of the best in Overwatch, so when I got the call, I recommended DVa. This file contains all the intel we currently have, from various different sources, as well as the very vague information about this op. All of this is need to know, so the fact you're all here means that DVa thinks you need to know it."

"I want my squad moved onto this op ma'am." DVa said, expecting a negative reaction from her commanding officer. Instead, she placed the file away, seemingly unphased by the request.

"I expected you'd say something like that sooner or later, which is why I've already been on the phone. Command believe we have enough resources here to managed without your squad, so your request is approved. Does it also include the mechanic?" Myung asked, signalling towards Dea-hyun.

"Yes ma'am."

Myung rolled her eyes. "Fine, he can go too. I assume you want all of your squad? DMon isn't here."

"Yes ma'am." Hana turned away from Myung slightly, speaking to the nearest squad member to her. "Come to think of it, where is she? She said she was only picking something up."

Just then, the intercom on Myung's desk went off. She quickly pressed a button, answering the person on the other end.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Ma'am, someone's inside the base and they're hacking into Meka. They're stealing a large amount of data and we can't stop them."

The room quickly filled with tension, everyone suddenly realising what had happened to their missing squad mate.

"Yuna. They must have captured her." Hana said, now very worried about her friend.

"Where are they?" Myung pressed, already suspecting the answer.

"Pilots quarters ma'am."

"Tell security to get down there but keep their distance. There could be hostages."

"Understood ma'am."

Myung now looked up at the squad in front of her. "DVa, get down there and try to find out where Yuna is. The rest of you get to your mechs."

The squad rushed out of the office, Myung not far behind. While most of them went towards the hanger for their mechs, Hana ran straight for the quarters, pulling out her pistol once she was close enough and taking cover just outside the door. Just as she was going to peer through the closed door, Dea-hyun appeared, taking cover next to Hana.

"What are you doing here?" Hana whispered, wanting him out of the firing line.

"You need backup if you're going in there." He replied.

"No, not happening." She said, as she peered through the door. She didn't have to look for long, as she recognised the two people inside instantly. As Widow looked up from the screen. Hana pulled her head away from the door. Yet she knew she wasn't fast enough. Widow had seen her.

"Hana, you're not going..."

"No, listen to me. It's too dangerous in there. I know these people, and I know what they're capable of. Seriously, stay out of this one Dea."

Hana was a lot sterner this time, making it very clear to Dea. He gave a quick nod before running back towards the rest of the security force.

Meanwhile, inside the quarters, Widow had reacted immediately after she saw DVa.

"Merde."

"What?" Lena asked, as she saw Widow raise her rifle at the door.

"They know we're in the system and they're outside. Move the girl over here and keep an eye on the download."

Lena did just that, moving Yuna behind where Widow was standing and then taking position behind the computer. Widow stepped forward, now speaking up so that DVa could hear her.

"I know you're there! Get in here, now!"

After a few tense moment, Hana walked inside, raising her arms up and keeping her weapon where Widow could see it.

"Hana." Lena muttered, not wanting to hurt her.

"Lena. You look terrible."

"Well, it's been a long day."

"There's no way out. Meka wont let you leave with whatever you're downloading."

Lena stepped forward, placing her hand on Widow's rifle and getting her to lower it. Widow didn't resist, letting her do it before she turned and focused her eyes on Yuna instead.

"Hana... I don't have a choice. If I don't do this... then they'll hurt Emily... maybe even kill her."

Hana let out a breath, looking over to Yuna and considering what to do. On the one hand, she couldn't just let them leave with that data. On the other, Lena was her friend and she wanted to help.

"Let her go. You don't need her."

"Actually, we do." Widow returned, briefly looking over to the computer and checking the status of the download. "We need a way out."

"Me for her then. Let her go and I'll stay in her place."

Lena looked over to Widow, who briefly looked between the two Meka pilots. "Fine. You, get lost."

Yuna got the message, standing and quickly heading for the door. She stopped just short of it though, looking back at Hana.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine."

Yuna looked back at her captors, knowing that Hana couldn't win a fight against them alone. Reluctantly, she stepped to the door and opened it, running out as quickly as she could. This left Hana, Lena and Widow, all silent as they waited for someone else to speak first.

"Lena." Hana eventually said, breaking the silence. "I can't let you leave with that data. You of all people must know what kind of damage Talon could do with this."

Lena just looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry Hana. I really am... but I'll do whatever it takes to keep Emily safe."

"Even if it means attacking Overwatch?"

Lena didn't answer. She couldn't answer. She honestly didn't even know if she could do that. Fortunately, Hana wasn't given the chance to press for an answer, as Widow took out the drive from the computer and stepped forward.

"It's done."

Lena now stepped towards Hana, placing her arms on her shoulders. "Hana, please. I am begging you. Help us. I... I can't lose Emily. You know I wouldn't do this unless I had no other choice."

Hana let out a long breath, seeing Lena on the verge of tears. After weighing up the options, Hana decided what to do and she wondered if she'd up regretting her decision.

"Okay Lena... I'll help you."

"Really?" Lena asked, her face lighting up ever so slightly.

"You'd do the same for me."

Lena grabbed Hana and hugged her tightly. "Thank you. Thank you so much Hana."

After hugging for a few moments longer, Lena eventually let Hana go, both looking towards Widow.

"So, what's your plan?" Hana asked, almost dreading the answer.

"Simple." Widow began, as she placed her rifle over her shoulder." You're our hostage. I hold a gun to your head and me and Lena walk to the dropship."

"Seriously? You're joking right?"

Widow stared at Hana, making it very clear that she wasn't.

"Fine, guess I'm your hostage. One question, what if someone tries to shoot you?"

"That's where Lena comes in. Lena, you keep your weapons aimed up and watch the soldiers. They won't risk trying to shoot if they think they'll hit Hana or she'll end up dead in the process."

"Got it."

With yet another makeshift plan in place, Widow wrapped her left arm around Hana, taking her pistol and aiming it at her head, making the fake hostage situation look as real as possible. Hana was shorter than Widow, so she had to crouch ever so slightly, to reduce the height difference between them. She then contacted the Talon dropship, telling the pilot where they needed to be.

Once they were ready, Lena opened the door and Widow stepped out, keeping Hana between her and the soldiers in front. As they stepped into view, a number of soldiers, as well as the other Meka pilots from Hana's team, raised their weapons, aiming towards the intruders.

"Try anything and she's dead." Widow calmly but firmly said, waiting for Lena to walk out in front of her. Slowly, they moved forward, Lena keeping her pulse pistols aimed up in the areas Widow wasn't watching.

They walked forwards, back towards the large open room where they first entered the base. Widow was watching the front, while Lena kept her eyes behind them, making sure no one tried to sneak up on them. Eventually though, the soldiers stopped their advance, not letting Widow progress any further.

Widow responded by pressing the pistol further towards Hana's head, keeping a blank expression as the soldiers considered their next move. She had no intention of harming Hana, though the soldiers didn't know that. Here the two sides stood, staring at the other, waiting to see who would stand down.

After a brief but intense standoff, Captain Myung blinked first. She ordered the troops to move back, letting Widow and Lena move forward once again. The soldiers kept slowly walking backwards, keeping their weapons on Widow at all times. Somehow, despite how quickly Widow had put this plan together, it was somehow working.

They kept moving until they reached the exact location they grappled up to, walking straight to the edge of the base. The troops now surrounded them, the Meka pilots who were in their mechs keeping themselves in front of the other soldiers. From what they could tell, Widow and Lena had no where to go and for a brief time, Lena was worried that the pilot had simply abandoned them.

Thankfully, that was far from the truth. The Talon dropship roared into view, ascending from below the base. Clearly, the pilot had flown below radar in order to get close without being shot down. The doors to the dropship opened and a ramp extended from it, touching down just behind Widow.

She signalled for Lena to get on board, stepping back onto the ramp herself once she was inside. The Meka pilots primed their boosters, thinking they'd had to chase after the dropship to get Hana back. Yuna had also managed to push her way to the front of the soldiers, worried that Hana was about to be abducted. However, the smirk Widow had told everyone otherwise.

As the dropship began lifting off, Widow pushed Hana forward, making her fall from the dropship and into the arms of Yuna, who ran forward to catch her. Widow took the opportunity to run into the dropship, avoiding any gunshots that followed. The dropship then dived, going as low as possible before speeding off away from the base. It stayed below the radar for as long as it could, while keeping its speed high. so it could lose anyone that was following them.

"We should be out of range now." The pilot eventually said, keeping the speed up, just in case. "Next time, try not to end up with an entire military base after you. Makes it kinda difficult to pick you up."

Normally, Widow would have told the pilot to shut up, threatening him in the process. Instead, Widow just sat down next to Lena, pulling out the drive containing the intel Talon wanted.

"This is only going to get worse, isn't it?" Lena asked her, taking off her goggles and rubbing her eyes.

"Honestly? I don't know."

Lena placed her head on Widow's shoulder and Widow found herself resting her head against Lena's. For the rest of the trip, the two just sat in silence, neither knowing what to say.

Talon base- Several hours later

Once Lena and Widow had arrived back at the base, Talon had taken the drive containing the data almost instantly. With their mission now complete, the two headed back towards their room, which they were currently sharing, as Talon had yet to give Widow her own.

When they stepped back into their shared room, they found Emily sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing Lena's jacket once again. She jumped up immediately, running over and hugging Lena. The first thing they did was make sure the other was okay, Lena managing to get her question in first.

It turned out that Talon had taken quite good care of Emily while they were away. They'd brought her clean clothes and had given her two cooked meals. Even the soldiers were behaving themselves, something Widow considered was due to the fact they'd been ordered to do so.

It wasn't long before Lena lay back on the bed. She hadn't slept well the night before, far too worried about Emily as well as the mission, so she was feeling very tired. Emily soon joined her, kissing the top of Lena's head before cuddling with her. The two lovers soon closed their eyes, falling into a deep sleep.

Widow, who was sat in an armchair that Talon had placed in the room, couldn't help but smile at them. It made her start thinking about Sombra, the feelings she had towards her and how she never had the chance to truly admit them to her. She hoped that one day, she would have that chance once again.

With Lena and Emily now fast asleep, Widow didn't have much else to do. She considered going to sleep herself, since that was the reason the armchair was here. Widow had learnt to sleep in many uncomfortable positions, so an armchair wouldn't be anything new. However, she'd slept far better than Lena, so was not feeling as tired. Instead, she decided to stretch her legs and take a walk around the base.

Despite the fact they were being held captive by Talon, they'd decided to give them a large amount of freedom. Sure, they weren't allowed out of the base but they were allowed to walk around the unrestricted areas as much as they wanted to. So, Widow thought she'd take a look around and try to work out which base she was in.

She slowly stood up and walked over to the door, turning off the lights and stepping out of the room. Once she was out, she gently closed the door behind her, making sure she didn't wake either of the two occupants inside.

The first thing Widow noticed was the lack of troopers. There was an extremely low number of guards and she didn't know what time it was. Therefore, it was possible that most of the guards were currently asleep. This would indicate that it was a smaller base she was in. However, she also considered that Talon were aware of her knowledge and had changed up the day to day operation of the base, in order to throw her off.

As she made her way through the base, she managed to find more troopers, yet not enough to confirm how the base opperated. She also began to see the size of the base and it was larger than it seemed. There were many corridors and doors which lead to various different areas. There were no windows either, yet this didn't really surprise Widow. She'd been in a number of facilities that were underground, so windows were pretty much pointless.

Eventually, Widow noticed something that made her stop walking. There was a darkened corridor, where the lights were dimmed down and a few bulbs were not working. Standing in the darkness was a figure, one that she recognised. She found herself walking towards the figure, which walked around a corner and seemed to vanish. Widow continued to follow it, until it came to a stop in a room, which was clearly private. She checked to make sure no one was around before quickly walking inside, closing the door behind her.

"I see you're keeping yourself out of trouble." The figure sarcastically remarked, turning to face Widow.

Widow responded by stepping forward, quickly wrapping her arms around the figure, almost making them fall backwards.

"It's good to see you again Gabriel."

"Huh, no one's said that to me in a while." Reaper replied, returning the hug with one arm. "Nice to see the old Amelie again."

Widow smiled. "The conditioning's pretty much gone. Only what they did physically remains."

Reaper was quiet for a moment, nodding his head before speaking again. "Sombra should never have let you go into the field. I wanted you safe, out of harms way."

"It was my decision Gabriel. I meant every word I said in my message. They took everything from me and I have the skills to make a difference. I couldn't just sit back and do nothing, especially when Overwatch needed help."

"I get it, you wanted revenge. I just never wanted you here again. Now I have to find a way to get you out again."

"Why not just contact Over..."

"No." Reaper said, cutting Widow off. "I'm not getting Overwatch involved. They couldn't find you the first time you were taken and they couldn't keep you safe after you went to them. I doubt they could do anything this time and before you even say it, I don't trust Sombra anymore either, since she did such a great job keeping you safe. So, unless you know anyone else, I'll find another way to get you out."

Widow thought for a brief moment, before someone came to mind.

"There's a British captain, Jameson I think his name was. He's special forces and he seems to be in contact with Overwatch."

"You know this how exactly?"

"He's a friend of Tracer. She trusts him."

Reaper thought over this new information, considering he could do something with it. "Fine, I'll look into it. In the mean time, try to keep your head down. Talon are watching you very carefully, so don't give them a reason to react."

"There's one more thing. That mission me and Tracer just went on. Something wasn't right about it. Security wasn't good enough for a base like that and they let us go a little too easily."

"Talon probably has someone on the inside, wouldn't surprise me. Not really something that should concern you though, so just keep your head down until I say so."

With that Widow left Reaper, allowing him to continue considering his next move. The information that Widow had given him was indeed helpful and already a few ideas were forming. He also had some Talon soldiers that owed him some favours. If all else failed and his plan was discovered, he was sure some would just begin working for him out of fear alone.

For Reaper, Talon was simply a means to an end and right now, that end goal was not the same as it once was. After all, it wasn't like Talon currently trusted him. He'd already found a number of bugs inside his own room and knew that Doomfist and Moira weren't telling him everything.

If they wanted him as an enemy, that was fine with him. That would be the last mistake they would make.

New York- United States

The UN were still in session, working on overdrive to try and reach a decision regarding the Petras Act. Very little progress had been made, with only a few more countries agreeing wih those calling for the Petras Act to be revoked. The meeting was currently on hold, with the diplomats taking a break for a short time before returning to the task at hand.

Outside, the streets surrounding the UN headquarters were filled with protesters, all demanding that the act be revoked and for Overwatch to be reinstated. However, people were beginning to wonder if those inside were even listening.

Security outside the building had also been increased and the people nearby suspected this was due to the large number of protesters in the area. However, the number of security guards was steadily increasing, with the police presence outside the headquarters becoming unusually large.

Then, without warning, the security inside the grounds of the headquarters reacted, moving around to secure the area as well as moving a couple of parked cars away. Something was happening and everybody knew it.

Meanwhile, a few miles away from the city, a dropship flew towards the UN headquarters, two US military jets following close by, escorting it towards its destination. Once it was close enough, the two jets broke off and the dropship began to descend.

As it came into view, the people around the building began to worry, concerned it was Talon, trying to attack the UN directly. However, once the dropship was close enough, the people closest could make out a distinct logo. The Overwatch logo.

A cheer suddenly roared through the crowd, as the dropship landed in front of the UN headquarters and powered down. The doors opened soon after and a small group of the security forces ran over, coming face to face with a group of Overwatch soldiers, all with their faces covered by masks.

"Which one of you's here to talk to them inside?" One guard asked.

"She's inside. Is the area secure?" An Overwatch soldier replied, following the orders he'd been given.

"It's secure."

Upon hearing that, the lead Overwatch soldier walked back to the dropship, briefly speaking to someone inside before returning to his original position. At this point, the crowd outside had fallen silent, unable to hear what was happening. However, another cheer soon engulfed the area, as Mercy came into view, wearing her full Valkyrie suit.

She briefly spoke to the security, before she was lead inside the building, being followed by two other Overwatch personnel. The rest of the Overwatch force remained at the dropship, all remaining on alert and ready to react to any possible threat.

Everyone knew this was a gamble but it was a gamble that Overwatch hoped would pay off.

 _Authors note_

 _Hello there_

 _So, here we are again. The end of the chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Sorry this chapter took a bit longer to get out. Been a bit busy so couldn't write as often as usual._

 _Anyway, hope you're enjoying the story so far and see you in the next chapter :)_


	28. From the Shadows

**From the Shadows**

 _"Caller please identify."_

 _"Access code blue rider. Get me a secured line to Captain Jameson."_

 _"...One moment please."_

 _"That access code hasn't been used in years. Who is this?"_

 _"Someone who has information to share. I assume you know about Tracer?"_

 _"We might do. What do you know?"_

 _"I know where Talon are keeping her. I'll send you the co-ordinates, as well as information about the base and when the best time to attack will be, at exactly midnight, on one condition."_

 _"Which is?"_

 _"You don't inform Overwatch about any of this. You come without them. If you don't do this, the deals off."_

 _"...Deal."_

United Nations Headquarters- New York- United States

"Why aren't we hearing from Morrison himself? We only recently found out he was alive, surely there's many questions he should answer?"

Mercy was currently sat infront of her most important audience to date, the United Nations. Throughout her career she'd stood up and talked in front of a crowd, explaining her research and her medical breakthroughs. Compared to this, that was very easy. Here, one wrong answer could tarnish the image of Overwatch and even her own name.

When Morrison approached her about this, Angela was very unsure that she was the best person for the job. Frankly, her time here was only reinforcing this opinion. She was being asked difficult questions, some she simply couldn't answer, either because it was sensitive information or she simply didn't know the answer.

She'd been here for quite some time now, at least an hour and a half, though Angela considered it could have easily been longer. After many questions related to Talon, as well as the other issues affecting the world, the questions now seemed to be focusing on Overwatch itself.

Angela's current question was another one of those difficult questions. It was true that Morrison could have just as easily come here instead and this was a question that she couldn't leave unanswered. So she was a little nervous as well as stressed to say the least.

She took a breath, remembering a talk she'd had with Fareeha and Ana, who were both currently sitting in the dropship.

Fareeha had been helping Angela prepare, making sure she was as calm as possible, while also giving her as much moral support as possible. Ana on the other hand had told Angela what she considered the UN would do. She'd said that the UN would be tough on her. They'd ask difficult questions and would try to find a reason to keep the Petras Act in place. So, she needed to be smart and show that Overwatch were serious about protecting the world, in whatever way possible.

With that in mind, Angela changed her attitude. She needed to be more confident with her answers but she also realised that she needed to play politics, so to speak. The public were already putting pressure on the politicians, so she needed to add to it.

So she began to do just that, thinking of an answer to the question she'd been asked.

"I'm not too sure what's left for him to say. I think the recall he sent out made his point rather clear if I'm honest."

Some of the diplomats didn't seem to impressed by the answer, yet some actually smiled.

"Perhaps he could start by explaining why we should trust Overwatch after all this time. Let's not forget that Overwatch had a hand in forming Talon into what it is today. Or perhaps he could explain what he was doing after his apparent death, after the Swiss headquarters was destroyed."

"It's up to him whether or not he decides to do that." Mercy replied, prompting a different diplomat to speak up.

"Let's return to the main matter at hand. As has been previouly said, Overwatch has hand a role in shaping the world into what it is today. There were a number of events leading up the collapse of Overwatch. While we cannot state the content of these missions, we are able to talk about one that you had a role in. You were part of the team that dealt with the King's Row uprising, is that correct?"

Angela remembered this mission all too well. Lena's first mission as an official agent of Overwatch. Angela remembered her being nervous but hiding it well. Overwatch went into King's Row without the backing of the UK government. While they were able to end the uprising, it didn't help with the political side of Overwatch.

"Yes. I was part of that team."

"Would I be correct by saying Overwatch did not have the permission of the UK government to intervene in this situation?"

Angela knew where this was going. They were trying to discredit Overwatch, put pressure on her and see how she'd respond.

"Yes. That is correct. However, the situation in King's Row had deteriorated very quickly. Had we not acted, many more lives could have been lost."

"To clarify, the UK's position on this matter has since changed. We support the motion to revoke the Petras Act." The ambassador for the UK quickly added, earning some nods of agreement across the room.

"That may well be the case, yet Overwatch still acted against orders. So how could we be sure that they'd not do the same this time?"

Angela thought about her response carefully, before she responded. "Overwatch puts lives first. If we're held back by people telling us what we can and can't do, it'll only lead to more lives being lost. Just because something is easier does not mean it is the right thing to do. We need to be trusted to do the right thing, to keep people safe."

That was ironically a conversation she'd had with Lena shortly after her first mission. Lena was talking while Angela was checking over her injuries, which were thankfully quite minor. She knew that Overwatch had acted without authority and was worried about the possible ramifications, yet she believed that they'd done the right thing and Angela couldn't help but agree with her.

"Doctor Ziegler, while your contributions to the medical field can't be denied, what can be contested are your contributions to Overwatch. There are some people which believe those working for Overwatch should be arrested..."

"You're not going to arrest us."

"And why is that Doctor Ziegler?"

"Because despite what you might say, you all know that you need us. I know that some of you are wary of revoking the Petras Act and believe that, due to its past actions, Overwatch should remain shut down. For a long time, I was one of those people. Overwatch had lost its way but right now, it's a completely different organisation."

Angela took a quick breath, before continuing.

"Yes, Overwatch has made mistakes and those mistakes helped shape the world into what it is today. However, we're also the ones who are best suited to protect it from those threats. Every person who currently helps us knows this and no matter what you say, we won't stop until the world is safe. The world is changing and it needs someone there to watch over it. You all need to decide the future of the Petras Act soon because the world cannot stand any more inaction. So if you want to arrest us, go right ahead. In the mean time, we have a job to do."

With that, Angela stood up and walked towards the door, leaving the room and heading back to the dropship. The two Overwatch soldiers who had followed her in had stayed at the door and began following her as she made her way outside.

Angela had never spoken to a crowd the way she did today, especially one so powerful. Perhaps it wasn't quite the correct tone but frankly, the world needed Overwatch. She knew that. The people outside knew that. Hell, even the people in the room knew it, even if they wouldn't admit it. She just hoped that they'd make the right decision.

Meanwhile, the remaining Overwatch soldiers sat in the dropship, waiting for Angela to finish her meeting with the UN. Ana was one of the occupants, sat looking over her rifle while also keeping an eye on the crowd outside. Fareeha was also inside, wearing her full combat armour in case trouble started. Right now, she was pacing back and forth, worrying about how the meeting was going.

"Faree, can you please stop that?" Ana eventually said. "You're making everyone nervous."

Fareeha stopped pacing for a moment and looked to the other troopers. When some nodded in agreement, she took a breath before sitting herself down next to her mother.

"Sorry. I'm just..."

"She'll be fine. You're here to support her afterwards and there's no sign of Talon. So don't worry."

Before Fareeha could say anything else, she heard the crowd begin cheering. Another Overwatch Soldier, one closest to the open dropship door, informed the occupants of what he saw.

"Mercy's back. Guess the meetings over."

Fareeha quickly stood and walked to the door, giving Angela a smile once she was close enough to see it.

"Long day?" She joked

"You could say that. Tough crowd in there."

As the Overwatch team boarded, the pilot started up the engines and the dropship door closed. Once the ship had powered up, it gently took off, slowly moving away from the buildings before speeding off, back towards Gibraltar.

"How did it go then?" Fareeha asked, giving Angela a hug that she guessed she needed.

"I... I don't really know if I'm honest. They asked a lot of questions, some I couldn't answer..."

"That's okay though. As long as you made a good impression."

Angela looked up from the hug, staying silent while looking away slightly.

"What did you do?" Fareeha asked.

"I might have walked out."

"You walked out?" Fareeha repeated, surprised by this.

"It was something Morrison said. He told me if they mentioned arresting agents then I should just walk out there and then."

"It was kinda cool to be honest." One of the soldiers said, causing Fareeha to raise an eyebrow.

"Did you know anything about this mum?"

"I... might have know that Jack suggested it. The idea was that we showed them we're serious. Didn't think Angela would actually do it though."

"I didn't like it." Angela admitted. "It wasn't how I'd normally handle something like that... Yet if I'm honest, I don't think they were fully listening anyway... Was it the right thing to do?"

"Walking out? Possibly." Fareeha replied. "Mum has a point, it might show them that we're serious and not messing around. I doubt anything we'd say would fully convince them but it might help with the political pressure... That alone might be enough."

Angela nodded. "Yeah. Maybe you're right."

Angela fell silent again, going deep into thought. Fareeha could tell something was bothering her and had a good idea what it was. So she gently tapped her arm to gain her attention.

"You're worried about Lena, aren't you?"

Angela nodded ever so slightly. "Yeah... I know she has Amelie with her but Talon's got Emily... I'm worried she's being put through the same things we were... Lena's strong willed but... she won't even put up a fight if they touch Emily."

"I know. We're all worried about her, but the best thing we can do is keep going. That's what she'd want us to do. No matter what she's forced to do, her loyalty is with Overwatch."

"I hope you're right... I don't think we can manage losing her."

"We won't lose her or Amelie." Ana said, determination in her voice. "Whatever it takes, we will find them."

 _Talon facility- Unknown location_

 _"Tell me what you know."_

 _Lena was chained up, her arms above her head, fixed to the wall behind her. In front of her was Emily, chained up in a similar way. One of her eyes was heavily bruised and blood was pouring down her face. In the middle of them was Reaper, who was trying to get information from Lena, regarding the recent movements of Overwatch. Problem was, she didn't know anything._

 _"I don't know anything, I swear!" Lena shouted back, not wanting Reaper to lay another finger on Emily._

 _"Wrong answer."_

 _Reaper punched Emily, causing her to spit out blood. Reaper followed up by retrieving one of his shotguns from his coat and pointing it at Emily._

 _"What are Overwatch planning?"_

 _"I don't know."_

 _Reaper moved his aim, firing a single round into Emily's leg. She screamed out in pain, which only got louder when Reaper stepped on the wound._

 _"I won't ask again. What were Overwatch planning before we took you?"_

 _Lena looked to Emily, seeing her in complete agony._

 _"I'm telling you, I don't know! Just stop, please!"_

 _"How about I give you to the count of three. Then, if you still can't remember, she dies."_

 _The shotgun was pressed against Emily's head and she couldn't help but start crying, both in fear and because of the immense pain she was in._

 _"One."_

 _"Please, I'm begging you! I don't know anything!"_

 _"You're begging the wrong person. Two."_

 _"I'll tell you everything I know! Access codes for Gibraltar, codes to pilot the ships, anything! Just stop, please!"_

 _Reaper stood still, staring at her like he was considering the offer and for a moment, Lena had a glimmer of hope. Yet this hope was soon shattered._

 _"Two and a half."_

 _"I love you Lena."_

 _Lena looked at her girlfriend, seeing Emily trying her best to hold back her tears. She knew what she was saying. This was goodbye._

 _"I love you too Emily."_

 _Emily closed her eyes and Lena looked back up at Reaper. "Please. Please don't do this."_

 _"Three."_

 _Reaper pulled the trigger and all Lena could do was shout Emily's name._

Talon base- Unknown location

Emily wasn't sure what time it was or how long she'd been asleep when she was woken up. She was still next to Lena, yet she wasn't sleeping well at all. She was talking in her sleep and was clearly having some sort of nightmare. Emily sat up and debated whether she should gently wake Lena up. However, she never had to make that decision.

Lena's eyes suddenly opened. She shouted Emily's name and began breathing heavily. She was shaking, obviously scared by the dream she'd just been woken by. Once she saw Emily, Lena seemed to calm down, sitting up and wrapping her arms around Emily like her life depended on it.

"Bad dream?" She asked softly, rubbing a hand over Lena's back.

Lena continued to cuddle Emily, gently nodding her head when she felt a little calmer.

"What to talk about it?"

Lena remained silent for a few moments before she answered.

"It was about you. Talon were torturing you, trying to break me, force me to give up information about Overwatch... I didn't even know anything about it... No matter how much I begged them to stop, they just kept going and going until..."

Lena began crying, cuddling Emily as tight as she could. Emily ran one of her hands through Lena's hair, doing her best to calm her girlfriend down.

"Shh. It's okay Lena. I'm here. I'm okay."

"I'm sorry Em. You never should've been here."

"I don't blame you. None of this is your fault."

"It's not just that though. I'm scared Em. I'm scared that something will happen to you and I'm scared I'm going to become something I don't want to..."

"That won't happen Lena." Emily said, as she looked Lena straight in her eyes. "You'll think of one of your classic Lena plans and find us a way out of here. Then, you're going to take me out to the fanciest restaurant you can find."

Lena actually managed to chuckle when Emily said this. "Yeah, food's not the best here... How are you managing to keep it together so well?"

"Honestly, I'm scared too... but I'm know you need me, so I'm staying as strong as I can. Thing is, I need you too. So please Lena, don't give in and think there's no way out. That isn't the girl I know. I need you to be strong, okay? I know you'll find us a way out."

Emily wiped away Lena's tears with her thumb and Lena gave her a gentle smile. "Okay Em... I'll... I'll do my best. I love you."

"I love you too."

The two embraced again, just as the door to the room opened and Widow stepped inside.

"Bad time?" She asked, seeing that Lena had been crying.

"No, I'm okay." Lena said, wiping away her tears. "Where did you go?"

"I went for a walk, tried to work out which base we're at."

"Any luck?"

"Not much. All I found out is that we're in an underground facility. Other than that I have no idea."

Lena sighed. "It was worth a try though."

Widow gave Lena a nod before sitting down in the armchair. She didn't tell her about her talk with Reaper. It wasn't that she didn't trust Lena, quite the opposite actually. She just wasn't sure if Talon were currently watching them or how Lena would react to the idea of Reaper helping them. Instead, she decided to keep quiet for now. She just hoped Reaper's plan, whatever it was, worked.

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Later that day

It was much later in the day when the team sent to the UN returned to Gibraltar and news regarding Angela's speech had travelled fast. When she arrived back at the base, Angela was greeted with a large amount of support, both from people at the base and around the world.

Despite the fact Angela walked out of the meeting, something that she was unsure of afterwards, it seemed to have garnered a lot of support. This was evident from the news channel, that was on the screen when Angela reported to Winston's office, giving Morrison and Winston a report of how she felt the meeting went.

"I know I said this already, but nice work doc." Morrison said, after Angela finished her report.

"Why me Jack? I couldn't answer everything they wanted to know and they clearly wanted to speak to you more. So why did you send me instead?"

"Well, I've only just returned to Overwatch, so I'm hardly in the best position to comment on the Petras Act. If I'm honest though, I wasn't the right person. We needed a symbol, someone who showed the world the best that Overwatch could be."

Angela finally caught on to what Morrison had done. "This was never about addressing their concerns, was it?"

"Not exactly." Morrison admitted, looking over to the nearby screen. "It wouldn't have mattered what we said, the UN wouldn't have listened to us... but they damn well might listen to them."

Angela looked over to the screen, seeing live pictures of the crowd outside the UN building. The pictures soon changed to several other locations around the world. Angela watched the names of the cities appear on screen. New York, Washington, London, Paris and Berlin just to name a few. All of them had people out, demanding that the Petras Act be revoked.

This was good news for Overwatch, yet Angela knew that something wasn't right.

"Jack... back in King's Row. You said that Talon wanted Overwatch to return, that they wanted the Petras Act revoked. Why would they want that?"

"I don't know." Morrison replied. "Whatever their reasons, we have little choice but to play along for now. Just trust me on this."

"We do Jack. Every person at this base trusts you." Angela now turned to Winston, who had kept quiet for most of the debriefing. "Have you been able to find out what happened to Mei?"

Winston lowered his head, walking over to his computer and opening a video file. "I managed to recover this footage from Snowball, just as the team was attacked by Doomfist."

Winston pressed play and the three watched as Snowball hovered over a lifeless Mei. It gently nudged her, trying to wake her up but to no avail. Shortly afterwards, Doomfist picked up the small robot, clutching it in his gauntlet. Despite the camera being obstructed slightly, the three could see Widow, knelt over an unconscious Lena. After taunting her, Doomfist crushed Snowball, ending the video.

"Even though it didn't show exactly what happened, it seems pretty clear. She wasn't moving." Winston said, closing the file and looking down at the small robot, still disassembled on his desk

"At least we know for sure now." Angela finally said, saddened by Mei's fate.

"There's something else." Morrison added, a hint of regret in his voice. "DVa returned from MEKA and brought along some other pilots to help us. While she was there, someone infiltrated the base and managed to get away with classified information... It was Amelie and Lena."

"What?" Angela let out a sigh. "I guess we should have seen this coming... What did she say?"

"It wasn't good. Lena and Amelie are okay but they had to intimidate one of the MEKA pilots to open a door for them. On top of that, Lena's completely powerless to resist Talon. She was begging DVa to help them escape..."

"We can't give up on them Jack."

"I never said that Ang. It's just we haven't got any intel. We don't know where they are and frankly, Lena's desperate right now... look, you should probably go talk to Song about this, she'll be able to explain it better than me. Last I heard, she was in the mess hall."

Angela nodded, letting out another sigh before heading off towards the mess hall. Once she'd left, Morrison turned to Winston.

"If you find anything regarding their location, you tell me immediately."

"Understood."

With the meeting complete, Angela made her way towards the mess hall, intending to speak to DVa before finding something to eat. She made a quick detour to the armour first, removing her armour so Torb could check it over.

Once she arrived at the mess hall, she quickly recognised a number of agents. McCree was sat with Reinhardt and Zarya, who had recently returned to the base and the three were in deep discussion about something. Angela couldn't tell what exactly, since they were keeping their voices down.

On another table sat Sombra, sitting alone while she looked through her computer. A few tables away sat Fareeha and Ana, who gave Angela a wave when she entered the hall. Sitting opposite them was DVa along with another young girl, who Angela didn't recognise. Suspecting that DVa was already explaining things to Fareeha and Ana, she walked over to them.

"Hey Ang. Meeting go alright." Fareeha asked, as Angela took a seat next to her.

"Well, Jack seems happy enough, so I guess so." She replied before focusing on DVa. "Hana, can I have a word with you. It's about Lena and Amelie."

"Sure. I was just telling Fareeha and Ana about it."

"We saw her friend was a bit shaken up and came over to see what was the matter." Ana added, clarifying why DVa was talking to them about it in the first place.

"What happened?"

"Well, Lena and Widow infiltrated the MEKA base, looking for intel, blueprints, that sort of stuff. They made their way to the pilots quarters but they couldn't get in, since the security on the door had been changed. So, Widow captured Yuna and made her open it."

Hana signalled to the girl sitting next to her, informing Angela who Yuna was.

"Are you okay?" Angela asked her.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just a bit shaken up. Hana explained what had happened and I don't blame them for what they did. I recognised Tracer but Hana said the other woman was Widowmaker."

"It was but I promise you that she's changed. I don't know exactly what you know about her but trust me. She doesn't want any part of Talon."

"You don't need to cover for her. She's nothing like the rumours say. She seemed... loyal to Tracer."

"What do you mean?"

Hana was the one who answered. "I know what she means. Widow seemed to be the one in command of the mission but she was listening to Lena, letting her lead when I confronted them. They even managed to get out of the base when they were detected without killing a single person."

"Clearly Amelie is still herself and she's doing her best to help Lena. That's something positive at least. How was Lena when you saw her?"

"Honestly, not good. She was desperate, practically begging me to help her. I think the only thing holding her together was the fact Widow was there."

Angela leaned back into her chair, thinking over what she'd just been told. "Did she say anything about where they were being held?"

"No. I don't think they knew if I'm honest... What do we do if we see them again?"

"Honestly, I don't know." Angela admitted. "On the one hand, if we captured Lena and Amelie then they'd either kill Emily or twist her to use against us. Either one would break Lena's heart and likely her want to fight as well. On the other, we can't keep letting them complete their missions, as it'll hurt us in the long term."

"We need to find them." Ana concluded.

"Exactly. We need to find them and soon... otherwise, I dread to think what may happen."

While Angela spoke with the people on her table, Sombra closed down her computer, folding her arms on the table, placing her head on top of them and then closing her eyes. She hadn't slept well the night before, far too busy worrying about Amelie as well as looking on her computer for any sign of them.

There was still nothing. No sign of them, apart from their appearance at the MEKA base. Even when there was a dropship she could follow using satellite images, it disappeared long before it arrived at its destination. She was out of options, out of ideas. Whatever she did, Talon knew how to counter it. She honestly didn't know what to do.

"I want a word with you."

Sombra opened her eyes and raised her head, being greeted by the sight of Zarya. This was the last person she wanted to speak to right now.

"What do you want?" Sombra asked, her tone of voice making it clear she wanted to be left alone.

"Answers."

"Don't we all." Sombra muttered, slightly annoying Zarya.

The Russian leaned down, placing both her hands on the table in front of her. "There's something I don't get about you. I understand you leaving Talon, you're clearly out for yourself, but why help Widowmaker escape?"

"Because it was the right thing to do." Sombra replied dryly, though the answer didn't seem to satisfy Zarya.

"You would never do anything without a reason. You'd want something in return. When you rescued Mercy and Pharah, you asked for their help with Widow. So, why did you help her? What do you get out of it?"

At this point, Sombra stood up, not wanting to continue listening to Zarya. She was almost out the door when Zarya called out to her.

"That's right, just leave. All it does is confirm what I already knew."

Within seconds, Sombra had turned around and practically ran at Zarya, stopping right in front of her. "You don't know anything about me."

"Actually, I know something very important about you."

"No. You know a name. That's it. You don't know anything about what I've been through or who I am. So don't you dare. Don't. You. Dare try that on me."

"I know exactly who you are. You do everything, for a reason."

"I helped her because it was the right thing to do."

At this point, McCree had begun to approach the two, seeing that the conversation between them was becoming heated. He had his hand over his flashbang, ready to throw it in case the situation escalated. The heated conversation had also gained the attention of the other agents and Angela stood and walked over, hoping to be the voice of reason.

"That's enough Zarya." Angela said, seeing Sombra become more and more frustrated.

"You're not at all curious about her motivations." Zarya quickly returned, moving her gaze back to the hacker. "Everything you do has a reason, no matter how big or small. So, tell us, why did you help Widowmaker?"

"Because I saw too much of myself in her!"

Sombra's sudden outburst caught everyone by surprise. The room fell silent and everyone simply listened, as Sombra finally opened up.

"I was orphaned after the Omnic Crisis. I had no one there for me and no one cared about me. Why would they, Mexico was a mess, too busy rebuilding to care about some orphaned children. So I ended up falling into the wrong crowd. I became Sombra... and honestly, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed having the power, being able to twist people to do whatever I wanted. When I joined Talon, I was still out for myself... but when I found Amelie's file... I changed. I was shocked by what I saw, horrified by all the things Talon did to her. She was alone, no one at Talon cared about her and no one was coming to help her... I saw myself. I saw someone who was walking down a dark path and needed someone to help her... and I felt sorry for her. So I decided, there and then that I would change, that I'd do something right with my life, that I would help Amelie in any way I could."

Sombra looked up at the agents closest to her, feeling a tear running down her cheek. Everyone was silent, surprised that the secretive hacker gave up that information. Even Zarya remained quiet, not knowing how to respond.

Eventually, Sombra sighed, before turning and leaving the mess hall. Angela could tell she was barely holding it together and quickly walked after her.

"Nice work Zarya." McCree sarcastically said, as she turned and stepped back to the table she was originally sat at. As she sat down, she could feel Reinhardt watching her, clearly not impressed.

Meanwhile, Sombra had ran away from the mess hall, turning herself invisible so no one could follow her. She ran towards the cliff near Winston's lab, finding Zenyatta sat watching the ocean, along with Genji and Hanzo. Still wanting to be alone, she walked behind the nearby building and turned off her invisibility, sitting herself down against the metal wall.

Here she sat, staring out to the horizon, thinking over her life and counting the mistakes she believed she'd made. She couldn't help but think Zarya was right. Everything she'd done in her life she'd done for herself, never thinking about anyone else. She'd isolated herself, being selective with who she called a friend. It was only when Widow opened up to her that things began to change.

"Are you okay, young one?"

Sombra snapped out of her thoughts, looking up and seeing Zenyatta floating nearby. She had no idea how he knew she was here but she didn't question it, not really caring at the moment.

"No offence but I just want to be alone right now."

Her reply fell on deaf ears, as Zenyatta floated next to her and then sat down.

"Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"I did. Though I do not think you should be alone at this time. Something has clearly upset you."

Sombra sighed. "It's nothing."

Zenyatta remained still, waiting for her to give him a better answer. After a short wait, Sombra decided to just tell him.

"I've not had the best life. I was orphaned after the Crisis, joined a criminal gang, became Sombra and then began helping a terrorist organisation. All while I blackmailed those I could to gain more power... Even when I tried to do the right thing, tried to do something good with my life, I ended up screwing it up... I'm just a failure."

Zenyatta let the hacker vent, listening to what she was saying. He could tell there was something else bothering her, something she would not easily reveal to him. This did not stop him from trying though.

"You are no failure. Why would you consider you are?"

"All I'm good at is hacking and finding out information."

"And this is a bad thing how exactly?"

Sombra tried to answer Zen, yet no words left her.

"The skills we have can be used in many ways. It is up to us how we utilise them."

"I... I guess. Even then, I never used them for the right reasons. When I did, I still couldn't protect Amelie...

"You helped her reach Overwatch in the first place and you wanted to let her choose for herself, correct?"

Sombra gave Zen a weak nod.

"Then you did not fail her. You helped give her the ability to choose her own path."

Sombra sighed again. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Am I a bad person?"

Zenyatta was somewhat surprised by this question but he was determined to answer it nonetheless.

"I can see that you are full of self doubt. You believe that your past actions define who you are now. This is far from the truth. Who we were ten years ago may not be the same person we are today. Despite what you have done in the past, you decided to help Amelie escape Talon and have stuck by her during her time here. Is this the same person that you were ten years ago?"

"No. No it isn't."

"Then the answer is clear. You are not a bad person. We all make mistakes in life. It's the lessons we learn from them that define us. So use the lessons you have learnt to better yourself."

Sombra didn't know how but Zenyatta had actually made her feel a bit better. "You're pretty good at this, you know that?"

"Why thank you."

At this moment, Angela walked around the corner, stopping a short distance away. Zenyatta decided to let Angela take over, gently floating up from his sitting position.

"You are not a bad person, Sombra. All you did was make a mistake. So do not let your past define who you are now."

With that Zenyatta left, leaving Sombra and Angela alone. The medic gently stepped over and sat down next to the hacker, looking at the view in front of her.

"Seems you found a nice view."

"I wasn't really looking for it if I'm honest."

There was a short pause before Angela spoke up again.

"I know what it's like to be in your shoes. I lost my parents to the Omnic Crisis and I know what it's like to feel isolated from the world because of it. So don't for a second think that you're alone because that's far from the truth. If you ever need someone to just talk things through with, I'm here."

Sombra didn't immediately reply and for a moment, Angela worried that Sombra wasn't listening. Thankfully, this idea was proven wrong.

"I've never opened up about my past before... not until Amelie anyway. She knows more about me than most people do."

"Amelie means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

Sombra gave a short nod.

"Are you two..?"

"Honestly, I don't even know. We trust each other and are able to open up but... I never got the chance to talk to her about it. Don't know if I ever will now."

Angela placed a hand on Sombra's. "You will get the chance. We will find her."

Just then, Sombra's computer let off an alert, signalling that her search had found something. She opened up her screen and looked over what information had been found. She didn't get her hopes up though, not expecting anything major other than whispers at this point, especially due to the size of the message in front of her. However, once she began reading through what the search had found, she was forced to stop and re-read it.

 _Person of interest identified-_

 _Name- Baptiste_

 _Last known location- Dorado, Mexico_

 _Relevant data downloaded and compiled into attached file_

 _Action required._

"No way."

"What is it? Who's this Baptiste?" Angela asked, reading through the small note on Sombra's screen.

"An old friend. He's ex Talon, left them some time ago. I check in on him from time to time but I haven't heard from him for a while now. If I just found something on him..."

"Then Talon might know where he is."

"Exactly. Now that I think about it, he may be willing to join Overwatch, especially since I'm here. He knows me, so I might be able to convince him."

"You should speak to Morrison about this. We need all the help we can get and another ex Talon agent would be very helpful."

Credenhill- United Kingdom- 00:03

Captain Jameson was standing over a holotable, looking over the intel package that had just been forwarded to him. Next to him was Buck, who had dropped what he was doing to help Jameson analyse the information they'd been given.

Upon receiving the initial call, Jameson had been given command over this situation and had the authority to authorise an operation if he felt it necessary. He'd also done exactly what the unknown individual said and had not contacted Overwatch about this. Since Tracer's life was at risk, he decided to be cautious.

"Any idea who sent this?" Buck asked, once he finished an initial reading of the intel.

"No. They're clearly Talon, or at least someone inside Talon. Perhaps they want out." Jameson replied, running a hand over his beard.

"Maybe. Or maybe it's just a trap."

"Bit of an odd trap isn't it? Surely they would have sent this to Overwatch instead of us."

"Fair point." Buck admitted. "They spoke to you directly, didn't they?"

"Yes. Used one of the old Overwatch codes to get access. Command thought it was Overwatch at the time, which is why the call was passed on." Jameson explain, as he considered what they should do with the information they had.

"So, according to this, Tracer's being held in a facility under the Black Forest in Germany. The intel we have gives a lot of detail about how to get inside, as well as access codes and patrol routes. Whoever this is, they must be high up in Talon. They know too much to be a simple grunt."

"I've seen that look before." Buck began, suspecting he knew what Jameson was thinking. "It's risky sir. Other than this, we're going in completely blind. For all we know, we're just walking into a trap."

"I'm well aware of that Buck... but this is Tracer we're talking about. She's more than just one person. She's a symbol of Overwatch."

"As are most, if not all of the Overwatch agents."

"Exactly. They're all symbols. So if she fell under Talon's influence... it could do untold damage."

"That's another fair point you've made." Buck said, finding himself agreeing with Jameson. "It's your call sir. I can tell you that the team will be behind you no matter what."

Jameson considered for a few moments longer. "Even with the risks involved, we need to act on this intel. Assemble the team and bring them up to speed. I'll contact command and see if we can get some help from the Germans."

"Didn't the message say to go alone?" Buck asked.

"It said to not tell Overwatch or have them involved. Never said anything about going in alone."


	29. A House Divided

**A House Divided**

Dorado, Mexico- 13:53- The next day

It felt unusual for Sombra to be walking trough the streets of Dorado again. It had been a while since she was last here and she wondered how much had changed since her last visit. From her initial inspection, it didn't seem that much had. The one thing that she could confirm hadn't changed was the bakery, which she hoped she'd have chance to go to before she left. The streets were busier than usual, yet they weren't too busy, something that proved to be very helpful to the person who'd accompanied her.

When she'd told Morrison about Baptiste, she'd expected him to order one of the other agents to accompany her. What she hadn't expected was Morrison himself to come along instead. It didn't massively surprise her though. Morrison had made himself known in Dorado, mostly for attacking Los Muertos. Thanks to him, the gang had stepped back its operations for some time but they were starting to become more confident again.

Before they'd arrived, Sombra had done some digging and found out that Baptiste had made contact with Los Muertos. Or to put it better, Los Muertos had a vendetta against him. Facts were sketchy but the best Sombra could find was that Baptiste had protected one of their victims, leading to a shootout between him and a few gang members. Nothing he couldn't handle of course. Yet it did complicate things.

Since the gang were out for his blood, Morrison knew that Baptiste would be lying low, perhaps trying to find a way out of the city. So, while Morrison scouted out nearby Los Muertos activity, Sombra scouted around the area, seeing if she could find out anything. Unfortunately, she didn't have much luck. After a few more minutes, she found a bench and took a seat, thinking for a moment. She wasn't sure how long past before she heard someone speak, breaking her train of thought.

"Excuse me miss, you seem a little lost. Are you okay?"

Sombra looked up to see a young girl in front of her, holding a small pouch, which she suspected had money in it. She considered that she'd seen this girl before somewhere, yet she couldn't quite place where.

"Gracias but I'm fine." Sombra replied. "I'm just trying to find my someone."

"Maybe I could help." The young girl said, taking a seat next to Sombra. "Do you know where they live."

"It's not quite that easy I'm afraid... Don't suppose you've heard anything about a hero on the street or anything?" Sombra asked, considering it a long shot.

"Do you mean the Soldier or the Medic?" The girl replied, smiling slightly upon hearing the question.

Sombra suspected that the Soldier was in fact Morrison. After all, he'd left his mark on Dorado. She didn't know who the Medic was though and considered that this may have been Baptiste.

"Who's the Medic?"

"He's like the Soldier, yet he helps people when they're injured too. There's a story that he stepped in when Los Muertos were attacking some people, wanting their money. They ran off and he treated their wounds. When they were healed, he told them to run, as ten gang members attacked him. He fought all of them off and then disappeared."

"When did this happen?" Sombra questioned, now certain the girl was talking about Baptiste.

"A few days ago... I hope he's okay."

"I'm sure he will be." Sombra replied, before standing up, expecting Morrison to be at their agreed meetup location. "Thanks for talking with me."

As she began walking away, the girl spoke up again.

"Are you one of those heroes?"

Sombra stopped, thinking over the question. "I'm not really the hero type."

"It doesn't matter who you are. Anyone can be a hero."

"I guess it's time I found out then."

Sombra waved goodbye to the young girl, before heading off towards Morrison's location. It wasn't too far away, only a few minutes away on foot and down an alley once used by Los Muertos. That was until Morrison and the gang engaged each other. Afterwards, they abandoned it, not knowing if anyone else knew what they were doing.

When Sombra arrived, she couldn't see Morrison anywhere. She was just about to contact him when a truck drove into the alley and two men jumped off. Los Muertos to be precise. The driver of the truck also stepped out of the driving seat, yet decided to sit on the front of the truck instead.

"What do we have here?" The one gang member said, as they approached Sombra, clearly looking for trouble.

"Don't you recognise me?" She replied, wondering if the two would remember her from her days in the gang.

The one gang member chuckled. "Yeah, we do. Talon's got a price for you. Dead or alive. Alive pays more though."

The two gang members laughed, pulling out knifes and ordering Sombra to follow. Before she could react by pulling out her weapon, someone else spoke up.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The two gang members turned around, seeing the glowing red visor of Soldier 76 and the driver of the truck, either unconscious or dead. They considered their options, knowing full well what had happened to countless gang members before them.

"What do you want?" One gang member eventually asked.

"Information. This Medic that's been bothering you. Where is he?" Morrison told them, stepping forward towards the two terrified gang members. They knew who he really was and they knew he wouldn't hesitate to kill them if he needed to.

Once he was close enough, the one lunged forward, trying to stab Morrison. This proved to be a foolish move, as Morrison took ahold of the gang members hand before throwing them behind him, pulling out his pistol and firing a single round afterwards. This was enough to scare the remaining gang member to drop his knife.

"He's in an apartment block nearby. You're too late though, the gangs already going to take him out."

"Thanks." Morrison said, before firing his pistol and killing the gang member. "That's the third one that's said that. It's clearly true."

"Did you really need to kill them?" Sombra asked, slightly shocked by Morrison's actions. Not that she cared that much. She had no loyalty to Los Muertos anymore.

"Los Muertos are a cancer on this city and they're linked to Talon. The less of them on the streets, the better."

"They're not all bad. Some of them want to get out."

"Then they'll be clever enough to take the warning. Now, we need to move."

Sombra wasn't phased by Morrison's bluntness. After working with Reaper, she was all but used to it at this point. Even then, it still was a little surprising to see the strike commander of Overwatch act this way. He'd changed since those days.

It didn't take them long to reach the apartment block in question, Morrison already knowing exactly where to go thanks to one of his earlier interrogations. When they arrived, the situation was already out of hand. Los Muertos had surrounded a five floored apartment block, blocking off any potential exits. On top of that, they were firing into the fourth floor, exchanging shots with an unknown individual, which they assumed was Baptiste.

"Athena, have the dropship ready to go. We'll likely need a fast exit."

"Understood Commander."

"What's the plan of attack?" Sombra asked him, watching as a Los Muertos gang member was shot as they moved cover.

"You have the best chance to get in there. Go in, find this guy and keep him alive. I'll work my way through this lot and meet you inside."

"Got it."

Sombra turned herself invisible, running towards the apartment block. A small group of gang members had grouped up inside the building, waiting to see how many of them got inside before they tried to attack Baptiste. As ten gang members made it inside and a few more trucks full of gang members arrived, Morrison began his attack.

He fired his helix rockets at the nearest truck full of enemies, causing a high amount of damage to the vehicle. Three gang members were also killed, while several more were injured. The rest of the gang now turned their attention to Morrison, now fighting on two fronts.

"What now?" One of the gang members inside the building said, looking out the door and instantly regretting it. "Not him. Anyone but him!"

"Who?" Another gang member questioned.

"That soldier guy. You know, 76 on his back."

"He's after this guy too. We need to beat him there."

While the gang members discussed the ongoing events, Sombra snuck herself past them and ran up the stairs, hearing gunfire from outside. Once she reached the fourth floor, she found two different apartments, one door on either side. She took a wild guess and knocked on one, taking cover next to it in case Baptiste simply shot through the door. Thankfully, he didn't and instead opened the door, aiming his rifle as he did.

"Any chance I can come in?" Sombra said, as Baptiste looked around to see who had knocked the door.

"Suppose you can." He replied, stepping back and allowing the now visible Sombra inside. "Didn't think Talon would send you of all people."

"They didn't. I'm not part of Talon anymore."

"Wasn't expecting that." Baptiste commented, before looking out the boarded up window and seeing Soldier 76 tearing through his targets. "He with you?"

"Yeah. It's a long story but right now, we should probably deal with the people coming up the stairs."

"Good idea."

Baptiste and Sombra aimed at the door, as the gang members broke through. The first was gunned down within seconds, not expecting the occupants to be prepared for their attack. Another two went down trying to enter the apartment, while another ended up shot through the wall. The remaining six stayed further back, waiting for someone to walk out of the apartment. With a brief moment of pause in the attack, Baptiste looked out the window, realising that the fighting outside had stopped.

"Where's your friend?"

Just as he asked this, screams were heard from the stairs, as well as gunshots. Moments later, someone took cover next to the door.

"Area's clear."

Sombra placed a hand over Baptiste's rifle and he quickly lowered it, seeing that this was someone friendly. "You can come in."

Morrison walked around the corner and Baptiste would have normally been impressed to see he didn't have a single scratch on him. However, he expected nothing less from the man in front of him.

"Jack Morrison. It's an honour to meet you."

"I see you know who I am then."

"You sent a message that's been all over the news. Who doesn't at this point?"

"These idiots it seems."

Baptiste chuckled at the reply. "I don't think they even watch the news. So, why are you here?"

Morrison nodded towards Sombra, signalling that she would answer that question. "Don't be too long Sombra. More could be on their way."

Morrison turned to keep an eye on the stairs, while Sombra began her explanation.

"It's a long story. A really long story actually. The short version is that I need your help."

"You need my help, or Overwatch need it?"

"Both. Look, the reason Talon are out for my blood is because I helped Widowmaker escape..."

"Widowmaker? As in Talon's best assassin Widowmaker? You know who she is, right?"

"She's changed. Talon's influence, their conditioning has gone. She's a different person now. But Talon recaptured her along with Tracer."

Baptiste looked at Sombra sceptically. "So, you want me to help find them?"

"Not exactly... Look, Overwatch really needs all the help it can get. You could make a real difference..."

"I know I owe you Sombra but this... I don't know."

"Please Baptiste. I'm desperate at this point. Amelie is... she's important to me."

Baptiste raised an eyebrow. "Wow. You've really changed."

"Yeah... I guess some of Overwatch rubbed off on me."

At this point, Morrison walked back into the apartment. "We ready to move out?"

"I don't know." Baptiste answered. "I don't really do associates, not since I joined Talon."

"Look kid, if you're half as good as Sombra says you are, then we could really use your skill set. There are people out there who need protection from Talon and from what I've been hearing on the streets here, that's exactly what you're good at."

Baptiste thought for a moment, before extending out his hand. "Haven't been part of a team for a long time now. Can't be as bad as Talon."

Morrison shook his hand. "Welcome aboard. Athena, get the dropship here."

"Yes commander."

"Is there any word on Amelie or Lena?"

"Negative, Commander."

Morrison sighed. "Understood. Keep me updated on any developments."

The Black Forest, Germany- 22:15

A team of six black suited soldiers were making their way through the forest, using the darkness to mask their movements. The sky above them were full of clouds and the rumbles of thunder could be heard in the distance. The team were heading towards a small village, in order to meet up with a second team already in the area.

"Alright, keep your weapons tight." Jameson said, as they neared the rendezvous location. "German team will already be on location."

"Have they given any further intel sir?" Buck asked, as the team continued forward.

"Negative. They were still scouting the area and will give us a full rundown when we arrive."

"Understood sir. You think this intel's good?"

"It better be."

As the team continued forward, the sky's above rumbled once again.

"That storms getting closer." Buck said, as the flash of lighting could be seen in the distance.

"Good. We can use it to hide our movements." Jameson replied, considering that they'd have to create an entry point into the Talon facility.

It was another ten minutes before the team saw movement in front of them, Jameson holding up his hand to stop the force from firing at the unknown figures. He then made a couple of hand gestures, which was followed by a different gesture from one of the figures in front of them.

"It's the German team." Jameson said, the rest of his team lowering their weapons and moving forward to join them. The group leader of the German squad walked towards Jameson, the two shaking hands.

"You must be Captain Jameson." The German said, a thick accent clear in his voice.

"What have you found out?"

"We've been here a few hours now and observed a number of Talon soldiers moving around the area. There's definitely a base underground, though we can't determine where exactly or how large it is."

"How about dropships? Any fly over or land in the area?"

"One. It landed in the centre of the village and unloaded a squad of troopers, then took off again. We didn't see them leave the village after they arrived."

"So there must be an entry point somewhere in the village." Jameson concluded, as the two men walked over to the rest of the soldiers, who were watching the small village. "What's the story about this place? Seems a bit odd for Talon to set up shop in a village."

"It's been abandoned since the Omnic Crisis. Eichenwalde is nearby and it's equally abandoned, so it makes sense to set up a base in this area. Lots of places to store equipment and no one really comes around here."

At this point, the German squad leader began talking to another soldier, both speaking German. The one pointed towards the village and Jameson guessed he'd seen something while they'd been talking. After a short wait, the squad leader turned back to Jameson.

"There's been some movement around the building to the right of the village. We think there's a way in to the base inside there." He informed Jameson, pointing over to a specific building. "We have a plan to give you the chance to get inside."

"Okay. What is it?"

"We will move to the other side of the village and set off some explosives. That'll get their attention and make them come to us. Then you can sneak inside and find what you're looking for."

"Do you know what that is?" Jameson asked.

"Officially, no. However, after that message Overwatch sent out, it's obvious who's in there. We'll begin our attack when you give the signal."

Jameson nodded, giving the German squad leader his comm channel. "What if you need backup?"

"The army is on standby for that very reason. Don't worry about us, just get inside that base and find the VIP."

"Will do. Good luck out there."

The two teams split up, the German squad heading away from the village, while Jameson's team headed towards the village, stopping a short distance away from a small Talon patrol. After waiting a few minutes, the German team made contact.

"In position. Waiting for your go."

Jameson waited until the soldiers in the patrol seemed to relax, before giving the command.

"Do it."

Within moments, three loud explosions were heard at the opposite side of the village, shocking the Talon soldiers. They instinctively raised their weapons, aiming around the area until their radios came to life. Orders were shouted at them and most of the soldiers began running towards the location of the German forces, as the two sides began fighting.

With the Talon forces now distracted, Jameson ordered his team forward. They took out the remaining Talon forces, their silenced weapons keeping them unheard and hid the bodies before running into the identified building. There were two more Talon troopers inside, guarding a small room containing some ruined furniture and a single wooden door.

The guards were taken by surprise, not expecting to see anyone enter the room due to what they'd heard on the radio, so had little chance to defend themselves. Before they'd even raised their guns, Jameson's team had eliminated them, moving their bodies out of sight.

Jameson now analysed the wooden door, gently turning the handle and finding out the door was actually open. However, as soon as he opened it, he was met with another door, this time a sealed metal one.

"Strange looking cupboard you found there." Buck joked, walking over next to Jameson. "Probably will need some explosives to get through that."

Just then, another rumble of thunder echoed through the area, only just louder than the fighting in the distance. Jameson quickly found some explosives, taking them from one of his team members and attached them to the door. The team moved out of the room and Jameson readied the detonator, watching the sky and waiting for the next flash of lighting.

It wasn't long until the sky flashed and Jameson pressed the detonator. The explosion was masked by the thunder, yet Jameson suspected that the breach would have alerted someone inside the base. With this in mind, he ordered his team inside.

"Weapons free. We need to find Tracer and quickly."

"Command centre seems like a good place to start." Buck pointed out, as the team gunned down two guards, disorientated by the door exploding.

"Good call. We can get some intel at the same time."

The team continued through the facility, yet they quickly realised how few enemy soldiers they were encountering. It was almost as if the majority of the force inside the base were elsewhere.

"Getting a bad feeling here captain." Buck said, as he checked a corner and saw no one there. "Last time there weren't any troopers around half a base exploded. What's going on this time?"

"Stay on mission Buck. We're coming up on the command centre."

Buck pulled out his shotgun and aimed at the door, while the rest of the team grouped up around it, ready to move inside and clear it out. Jameson readied a flashbang, opening the door ever so slightly and throwing it inside. Once it went off, Buck kicked the door open, firing at the first target he saw. The rest of the team entered soon after and the occupants of the command centre fell one after another. With the room now clear, Jameson pointed to the main computer.

"Someone download everything on that computer, the rest of you find out where Tracer is."

One trooper went to the computer, inserting a memory stick and quickly copying the contents of the hard drive. The rest of the squad checked the room over, looking for anything relating to Tracer. It was Buck who found something first, after checking the security cameras.

"Captain, you need to see this."

Jameson jogged over, expecting to see Tracer, along with Emily in a cell. However, he was almost left speechless at what he saw instead.

"What on earth have you gotten yourself into this time Oxton?" Jameson muttered to himself, before speaking to his team again. "We need to get down there. Get that intel, double time!"

Talon facility interior- Ten minutes earlier

Widowmaker sat in the armchair of the shared room, deep in thought while Lena and Emily talked. She didn't know what they were talking about, since she was too occupied with her own thoughts. She still didn't know what Reaper was planning and frankly it was concerning her. She didn't doubt he could get her out, yet she was concerned with how exactly he'd do this.

Her train of thought was soon interrupted, as someone knocked on the door to the room. Lena instinctively flinched, looking towards Widow while hugging Emily. Widow could tell Lena's time here was getting to her, so she took the lead, opening the door while wearing a blank expression. On the other side was a Talon soldier, clearly unhappy that he'd been sent here.

"You're wanted in the medical bay." He told Widow, not wanting to hang around much longer.

"Why?" Widow asked.

"I don't know why. Just get down there."

The trooper marched off and Widow just rolled her eyes. She turned to Lena, silently asking if it was okay for her to leave.

"You better go see what they want. Just... be careful." Lena said.

"I will." Widow replied, before stepping out and closing the door behind her.

The medical bay wasn't too far away and she reached it within a few minutes of getting the message. However, when she stepped inside, the door behind her slammed shut. In front of the door sat a woman in a white doctors coat, who had terror plastered on her face.

Widow turned around in confusion and came face to face with Reaper, who was holding one of his shotguns in his hand. Widow went to hug him, yet he stopped her and pointed at a chair in the room.

"There's a tracking device in your right arm."

Widow didn't need to reply, wriggling her right arm out of her outfit and sitting down on the chair. The doctor went to inject her with anaesthetic but was stopped by Widow before she could do it.

"Don't bother. Just take it out."

The doctor looked up to Reaper, seeing him motion for her to continue. She moved as quick as she could, slicing into Widow's arm and finding the small tracking device. It wasn't too deep into her arm, so it was easily removed. The doctor then sealed up the wound and cleaned up the blood, which was very little thanks to Widow's slow heartbeat, before bandaging the wound for good measure.

With the device removed, Widow stood up and inspected the bandage on her arm. Once she was satisfied it would hold, she wriggled her arm back into her outfit.

"What about Tracer?"

"What about her?"

Widow looked straight at Reaper. "She'll have a tracker in her as well."

Reaper simply shrugged. "Not my problem. Let the British team get her out."

Just as he said this, an alarm went off in the base, before someone spoke over the intercom.

"All units to defensive positions. We are under attack."

Widow now stepped towards Reaper, pointing her finger at him. "I don't care what your plan is, I'm not going anywhere without her."

"And in turn, she won't go anywhere without her girlfriend. They'll only slow us down."

"I don't care."

Reaper groaned, pushing Widow aside and walking over to the doctor. "Where is the tracker in Tracer?"

"In her accelerator. It'll take a while to take it out and I'm not the person to do that."

Reaper turned back around to Widow. "See. It'll take too long."

Widow on the other hand wasn't convinced. "What about her girlfriend?"

"She doesn't have one. Talon planned to kill her eventually, so it wasn't worth it."

"I'm not helping them." Reaper said, folding his arms in the process. "Let that British team get her out, I don't really care."

Widow now grabbed onto Reaper's coat, pulling him towards her with a strength that actually surprised him.

"Listen to me Gabriel. I'm not going anywhere without them. So, whatever you're plan is, we all go. No debate, no arguing. Nothing."

Reaper and Widow stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Eventually, Reaper gave in.

"Fine." He grumbled. "You've gone soft."

"You say that like it's a bad thing?"

"It is when it involves me getting you to safety. In any case, you need your equipment."

"What about her?" Widow asked, pointing to the doctor, who sank further into her seat.

Reaper calmly walked over, patting the doctor on the shoulder before grabbing her head and snapping her neck.

"One less loose end."

The two now made their way to the armoury, none of the soldiers moving through the base taking any notice of them. When they arrived, Widow was surprised to see a small squad of troopers, who all saluted when they entered. On top of that, her equipment was sitting on a nearby table.

"We checked her equipment over. There's no trackers inside anything." One soldier reported.

"We need Tracer's equipment too." Reaper told the soldier, who gave him a quick nod before walking off to find it. While they did this, Widow placed her grappling hook and thermal goggles on and then checked over her rifle. She also grabbed a pair of pistol holsters, placing Tracer's pulse pistols in them when the soldier finally found them.

"How many squads are there in total?" Reaper asked the soldier, which Widow assumed was the commanding officer of the unit.

"Three sir, though that could change depending on the situation."

"Guess that'll work. Move them into position and await my command."

"Yes sir." The commander signalled to his troops to move out, leaving Widow and Reaper alone in the armoury.

"How did you get three squads to help?" Widow asked.

"They're full of people in Talon that owed me a favour. Besides, it's me. If I tell a soldier to do something, they more than likely will. Now, we better go get Tracer. Don't want to leave her behind, do we?"

Widow sighed at Reaper's sarcastic comment, before the two made the trip back to the shared room.

Meanwhile, Lena was pacing around the room, now very on edge due to the attack on the Talon base. Emily was also nervous, standing and walking over to her girlfriend. Lena stopped pacing and the two hugged tightly, not saying a word. It was only when the door began to slowly open that the two separated, Lena instinctively walking in front of Emily.

When the black robed Reaper entered the room, Lena pushed Emily back, the nightmare she'd had coming straight back into her head. She began to plan out how she'd attack him, in an attempt to keep Emily safe no matter what. She knew it would be a doomed attempt, yet she had to try.

Thankfully for Lena, Reaper didn't try to grab her or Emily. Instead, he just stared straight at them, while Widow appeared from behind him, closing the door to the room and then walking over.

"We have to go. Right now." Widow sternly said, passing Lena her pulse pistols.

Not taking her eyes of Reaper, she slowly took her weapons and then aimed them at him.

"What's he doing here?" She asked, her voice shaking ever so slightly.

"He's here to help us."

"What?!" Lena said, in complete shock. "He's helping us? He hates us! Why on earth would he ever consider helping us?"

"For the record, I didn't. I'm only here because she won't leave without you." Reaper clarified, only confusing Lena further.

"But why not just..?" Lena lowered her weapons, the pieces suddenly falling into place. "It was you. You're Morrison's inside man. You told him about Amelie and Sombra..."

"Inside man? I might have told him about Sombra's jailbreak and Amelie's conditioning but I'm far from an inside man?"

"Wha... Why? I don't understand, why help her? You hate Overwatch and anyone to do with it. So why are you helping her?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you, Oxton. Now, are we leaving or not?"

Reaper turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. Lena just looked to Widow, confusion and disbelief very clear on her face.

"Why? Why is he helping you Amelie?"

"I will explain everything to you later, I promise. Right now though, this is our best chance of escaping. We need to go."

"I... I don't trust him."

"Then trust me. I promise you we will get out of here."

Lena was silent for a brief moment, before nodding her head. "I trust you Amelie. I'm not comfortable with it but if you say he'll get us out, then I believe you.

"There's... there's something else. Talon put a tracker inside your accelerator and we don't have time to remove it."

Lena looked down at her accelerator, debating what to do. I'm the end, she knew there was little choice but to leave it alone. As Widow said, they didn't have time to try and remove it.

"What about Em?"

"She's clean. Talon didn't bother putting one in her."

Lena nodded. "It'll be fine. Come on Em, we're leaving."

Just before they left, Emily grabbed Lena's jacket and put it on.

"You know, my jacket looks really good on you." Lena flirtatiously commented, the first lighthearted comment she'd made since they'd arrived.

"I'll make sure to steal more of your clothes when we're back home." Emily replied, winking at Lena before they both heard Widow groan.

"There's a time and a place."

"Right, Sorry luv."

The three emerged from the room, just as an explosion was heard. Some of the lights went out and an alarm went off. However, that wasn't the thing concerning Reaper the most. Despite what the protocol for a base attack was, not a single Talon soldier was in sight. Even with most their manpower occupied, some soldiers would remain to guard the interior.

"Something's not right."

"Lack of security?" Widow asked, knowing what he was thinking.

"Correct."

"What's the base size?"

"Medium."

"Should be some security, even during an attack."

"Exactly. Stay close." Reaper began to walk, leading the group towards the lower levels, where there were emergency escape tunnels. As he did this, he activated a radio. "All teams, you are clear to proceed."

The journey was uneventful and all this did was make everyone nervous. Eventually, Reaper pulled out his weapons, knowing full well something was wrong. This suspicion was confirmed once they reached the tunnels, which were guarded by a small army of soldiers, as well as Doomfist, who was wearing his gauntlet and a full set of combat armour.

"Not part of the plan I'm guessing?"

"Shut up Oxton." Reaper told her, as more Talon soldiers appeared behind them, surrounding them.

Once their escape route was blocked, Doomfist chuckled. "I certainly wasn't expecting this. You helping Widowmaker definity but Tracer too? This is very surprising."

Reaper remained silent, looking at the soldiers around him. He swore that a few flinched when he looked at them.

"I'm surprised your toy soldiers are even here. After all, they're clearly more afraid of me than you."

Doomfist chuckled again. "We have you Reyes. Surrender, or I'll be forced to kill you."

Reaper couldn't help but let out a sadistic laugh, one that scared some of the soldiers around him. "I invite you to try."

"And what about the people behind you Reyes. Are you willing to risk Amelie dying?"

Reaper went silent again and Doomfist believed he'd found his weakness. However, Reaper shifted his gaze back into the soldiers, speaking to them directly.

"You all know what I'm capable of. None of you can kill me and I'm betting your doubtful I can even die. So, if you value your lives, turn your weapons on Doomfist."

The soldiers remained still, all looking at one another. Eventually, one changed their target, aiming straight at Doomfist. Another two followed suit before other soldiers aimed at them. Then more aimed at these soldiers, until no one knew who was aiming at who. To add to the confusion, another Talon squad appeared, all aiming towards Doomfist, while some of the troopers moved over to him, aiming at the new squad that had just appeared.

"We really don't want to be in the middle of this." Lena commented, while Emily instinctively grabbed onto her arm.

"Agreed." Widow said, stepping back towards her, ready to push them to safety, wherever that may be.

"I'm curious. What exactly was your plan Reyes? You break out Lacroix and Oxton and then walk out of the base. That was hardly going to work."

Reaper didn't answer, staring straight ahead at Doomfist and unnerving some of the soldiers. Eventually, Reaper turned his head and spoke directly to Widow.

"Remember what I did back in the museum?" He asked, spinning his shotgun around so that she understood what he was telling her. Widow gently nodded, dropping her weapon and stepping next to Lena and Emily.

"You're giving up? A wise decision."

Reaper chuckled. "Not exactly."

Before Doomfist could say anything else, black smoke began to swirl around Reaper and he realised what he was about to do.

"Take cover!"

Doomfist used his gauntlet to quickly move out of the way, while Widow spun around and pushed Lena and Emily to the ground, Lena wrapping an arm around Emily and telling her to close her eyes. The soldiers meanwhile didn't have much chance to react, as Reaper began to fire in every direction. Some were able to drop to the ground, mostly the squad that appeared late. The others weren't so lucky and were shredded by the onslaught of bullets.

As Reaper finished his death blossom, his attention returned to Doomfist, who was powering up his gauntlet, ready to strike him. Reaper wraithed just in time, avoiding the impact of the gauntlet and then returned to normal. He aimed his weapons and fired, while the squad of soldiers loyal to him began firing at Doomfist, as well as any other soldiers that happened to still be alive.

At this point, Doomfist changed targets, leaping into the rogue squadron and attacking them. Two soldiers went down almost instantly, while the others tried their best to take him out. His armour took the few bullets that managed to impact him, as he made quick work of the squad of soldiers.

While Doomfist was distracted, Widow grabbed her rifle and stood up, pulling Lena and Emily to their feet and then pushing them back the way they'd come. A few soldiers tried to stop them, still loyal to Doomfist and somehow still kicking after the chaos that just unfolded. However, Widow wasn't prepared to let anything stop them, gunning down the few troopers in their way.

Doomfist saw the three prisoners escaping and went to go after them, yet his path was instantly blocked by Reaper, who appeared in front of him. He fired several shots, causing damage to Doomfist's armour in the process.

"You picked the wrong person to lie to Akande."

"You've proven why I couldn't trust you. Now, get out of my way."

Reaper did no such thing, throwing away his guns and reaching for a new set. "You should never have taken Amari."

Doomfist ran out of patience, punching Reaper through the ceiling, barely avoiding a group of Talon soldiers above them. They were on their way to apprehend the escaping prisoners, yet were now blocked by both Doomfist and Reaper.

"She was a means to an end." Doomfist said to Reaper, as he removed a now damaged piece of armour.

"So were you." Reaper replied, readying a new set of weapons.

Doomfist turned to the soldiers watching the fight unfold. "Take Reaper down, NOW!"

Reaper laughed once again, bloodlust taking over. "I am the angel of death. Now DIE!"

While Reaper and Doomfist fought, Widow continued to lead Lena and Emily through the base, taking out a few soldiers along the way. She didn't have to attack too many though, since the entire base was currently at war. She had no idea what was going on but it appeared that Talon was in the middle of a civil war, with Doomfist and Reaper as the opposing leaders.

Eventually, they reached a corridor full of soldiers, that weren't fighting each other. As soon as they saw the three escapees, they opened fire. Lena dragged Emily to cover with her, behind the right side of the doorway, while Widow took cover at the other side. Widow was just about to return fire when she heard the troopers cry out in pain and the fighting in front of them stop. She looked down the corridor, seeing a group of black clad soldiers where the Talon ones used to be.

"Hold fire, they're friendly... Another fine mess you've gotten yourself into Oxton."

Lena stepped out of cover, recognising the voice. "Ross! Am I glad to see you!"

"Likewise. Now, there'll be time for catching up later. Right now, we need to get out of here."

"Right. Lead the way."

Now Jameson took the lead, turning around and heading back towards the entrance they'd created a short time ago. Several Talon troops stood in their way and the team was forced to stop and engage. Jameson told Widow and Lena to stay back, Widow only providing cover fire while Lena protected Emily.

As they reached the door, they found two squads of soldiers attacking each other, completely oblivious to Jameson's squad approaching them. They held position and waited for the Talon troopers to fall, finishing off whoever was lucky enough to survive.

"The hell's going on here?" Buck asked, not understanding what was going on.

"Reaper appears to have gone rogue." Lena answered, not quite sure herself.

"Oh great. Just what we needed." Buck said, as the team reached the entrance and finally left the Talon facility. There was another rumble of thunder, as the storm had gotten much closer.

Once the group was outside, Jameson activated his earpiece.

"This is Jameson. I need an extraction now!"

"Roger that Captain, extraction is two minutes away. German forces still have Talon distracted, so make your way to the LZ."

"Copy that. Buck, take point. The rest of you fan out and cover the area. There might be Talon troopers looking for us."

Buck raised his weapon, walking out of the building containing the secret entrance first. The rest of the squad split up, giving each other some distance, while Jameson held back, moving with Widow, Lena and Emily.

There wasn't much resistance as they headed to the extraction point, only a couple of Talon soldiers on this side of the village. It seemed as if the rest of the Talon soldiers were too occupied with the German forces, yet Jameson had the uneasy feeling Talon had one more surprise left.

The team reassembled at the LZ, a small opening in the trees, just before a black coloured dropship hovered into view. It quickly landed, the pilot opening the doors and letting the team on board. Once everyone was inside, the pilot began taking off again, closing the doors as the dropship hovered upwards as quickly as it could.

Lena looked out of the dropship widows, watching as they began to fly away from the Talon base. She let out a deep breath, glad they were out of Talon's hands.

"Thank you so much for coming Ross." Lena said, hugging him.

"Well, I could hardly leave you in..." Ross couldn't finish, as an alarm went off inside the dropship. "The bloody hell's that?"

Just then, the pilot's voice came over the dropships intercom. "Rocket incoming!"

The occupants all moved away from the door, preparing for the rocket to impact. The pilot activated the ships countermeasures, yet the rocket continued on its path. Despite the pilots best efforts, the rocket struck the back of the dropship, causing it to begin spinning around. The pilot managed to maintain some control, yet he wasn't able to stop the ship crashing to the ground.

The doors to the dropship opened and the occupants all disembarked. Thankfully no one had been killed. However, when everyone heard something move extremely fast, as well as see a flash of red, they realised they were in a lot of trouble.

"Dropship's down! We need another way out!" Jameson shouted down his earpiece.

"Copy that. We can have one there in about ten minutes."

"Not good enough, we'll be dead in five."

In another stroke of luck, the leader of the German forces contacted Jameson.

"Captain Jameson, we saw your ship go down. We'll try to make our way towards you."

"That's something at least. Everyone to defensive positions!"

Everyone spread out, while the pilot put out the fire at the rear of the dropship. He confirmed that it wouldn't exploded, taking one concern out of Jameson's mind. However, he had no idea what this thing in the forest was. As the unknown target continued to zoom around them, leaping from tree to tree, Lena realised what it was.

"No, no, no. Not this thing."

"What?" Emily asked, unable to catch sight of it. "What is it Lena?"

"A Talon assassin... Emily, get in the dropship and don't come out until I say so."

Emily didn't argue, running back inside the dropship, as Lena stood in front of the door, waiting for the assassin to attack. Widow activated her thermal goggles, catching only glimpses of the assassin as it moved from tree to tree.

Eventually, the assassin decided to attack, jumping down from the trees and running towards the group. Widow saw the assassin too late and couldn't warn its target in time. It leaped onto one of Jameson's team, stabbing them three times before leaping at its next target.

The pilot was next, being stabbed twice before the soldiers could begin shooting it. The assassin was only hit a few times before it disappeared, jumping back up into the trees.

Buck checked over the two attacked troopers, finding out that both were dead. He shook his head at Jameson, reaching for his shotgun and preparing for the next attack.

"Two men down and we've not even scratched it."

The assassin now attacked again, this time running towards Jameson. He attempted to get out of its way, yet it was far quicker. It pinned him to the ground and prepared to kill him. However, just as it raised its arm, Buck shot it straight in the face, the force of the shotgun round pushing the assassin off Jameson. Buck managed to get one more round into the assassin before it retreated again, disappearing into the forest.

"Thanks for that." Jameson said, as Buck helped him back to his feet.

"Don't mention it."

With no visual on the assassin, everyone began aiming in every direction they could. Lena aimed her pulse pistols in two directions, while Widow scanned the forestry using her thermal goggles. While they were searching, there was a flash of lightning and the sky above rumbled. A few drops of rain began falling, as the storm above began to worsen.

Widow eventually stopped scanning the forest, finally catching sight of the assassin. It was sitting on a tree, staring straight at Lena. Somehow, it didn't notice Widow looking at it, meaning she had an advantage over it.

Lena meanwhile kept checking the area, not able to see the assassin. When she turned herself around, she noticed Widow looking right at her. She realised that Widow could see her and it was obvious that she was it's next target.

"Can you see it?" Lena asked silently, Widow reading her lips and nodding ever so slightly.

Remaining silent about it, Lena continued to look around, waiting for Widow to give her a signal. Eventually, the assassin went for the kill, leaping off the tree and running towards Lena, dragging its blades across the ground.

"NOW!"

Just before the assassin reached Lena, she recalled, disappearing just before the assassin could strike. The next thing the assassin saw was a flash from Widow's Kiss, before a bullet impacted hit it in the head, killing it instantly. Lena reappeared just after the assassin fell, turning around and looking at the dead body at her feet.

"Nice shot luv."

"Merci."

Their victory was short lived, as two large Talon dropships flew overhead, landing some distance away. Widow checked her ammo, groaning as she realised how little she had.

"Bloody hell. We're gonna struggle to beat that many sir." Buck reported.

"Command, where the hell is that dropship?! Command? Someone come in!" With no reply, Jameson knew what Talon had done. "Communication's being jammed. We're on our own."

Lena looked over to Widow, noticing how she looked at her rifle then back up into the forest.

"How much ammo you got left?" Lena asked.

"Six magazines... Not enough to stand and fight..."

Widow looked up at Lena, who in return lightly nodded. They were down to one option. Talon could track Lena wherever they went, yet they couldn't track Widow or Emily. They had to run, without Lena.

"Ross!" Lena shouted, blinking over to him. "I need your knife."

"What? Why?" Lena gently tapped her accelerator and Ross understood immediately what she meant. He pulled his knife out and passed it to her.

"Thanks... I'm... I'm sorry I got you into this mess."

Ross chuckled. "Wouldn't have it any other way Lena. Good luck."

Lena hugged Ross, before she and Widow walked into the dropship. Emily was still inside, sitting near the front of the crippled ship. She stood and went to hug Lena, until she noticed the knife in her hand.

"What's that for?"

"Em... no one can get to us and Talon's closing in. You need to run, you need to get out of here."

"You mean us, right?"

Lena let out a deep breath. "Talon put a tracker in my accelerator. They can find me wherever I go. I can't go with you..."

"No! No, I'm not running while you get recaptured by them."

"I didn't say I was going to let them recapture me..."

With that, Emily realised exactly what Lena meant. She was going to destroy her accelerator.

"No. There has to be another way Lena."

"There isn't time Emily. If you don't go, Talon will kill you. Please... I need you to go."

Lena passed the knife to Widow and then held out her arms, letting Emily embrace her. She began crying, not wanting to watch her girlfriend disappear.

"Shh. It's okay Emily... I'll be okay." Lena said, stroking her head as a few tears escaped her own eyes. She didn't want to do this. She hated the isolation, being nothing more than a ghost. Unfortunately, she didn't see any other way out.

"I'll be waiting for you, okay. You come back to me."

"I will. I owe you that date, remember."

Lena gently moved Emily's head so that she was facing her and gave her a long kiss.

"I love you Em."

"I love you too Lena."

"Help me get this off."

The two separated and Lena began to unbuckle her accelerator, Emily helping her with the back. Once it was off, Lena sat herself down and Widow passed her the knife.

"Amelie... promise me you'll look after my girl. Promise me you won't let anything happen to her... and, when you get back to Gibraltar... talk to Sombra. She needs to know."

"I will. I promise."

Lena nodded, as she moved the knife over her accelerator. As she sat, building up the courage to stab the device keeping her anchored, Emily sat down next to her, placing her own hands on Lena's.

"On three?"

Lena gave Emily an uncertain smile, before she nodded her head and took another deep breath.

"One."

Another pair of hands now joined Lena's and Emily's, as Widow knelt down next to them. She knew what destroying her accelerator meant to Lena and she knew she'd need all the help she could get.

"Two."

Lena nodded at Widow, silently thanking her before focusing back on her accelerator. She may hate what was about to happen but at least this time it was on her terms.

"Three."

The knife was plunged into the accelerator, before being twisted so that it caused as much damage as possible. The device flickered a few times, before the light went out and the accelerator failed.

Lena looked straight into Emily's eyes, having just enough time to say one last thing.

"I love you."

Emily could do nothing but watch, as the woman she loved disappeared in front of her eyes. It felt like a part of her was just ripped out. She didn't have time to grieve though, as Widow tapped on her arm.

"I'm sorry but we have to go."

Emily slowly nodded. "Yeah... okay."

Widow helped Emily to her feet and the two went to leave the dropship. However, they were stopped by Jameson, who was standing in front of the door.

"You'll need these." He said, passing over two items. One was a pistol, with a silencer and a few magazines. The other was a memory stick.

"What's on that?" Widow asked, as she took the pistol and put it into one of the holsters she had.

"It contains intel on Talon. Get it to Overwatch... We'll cover your escape."

Widow gave the captain a short nod, before she took the memory stick from him. Then, she and Emily made their escape, running into the dark forest, away from the approaching Talon forces.

Once the two had vanished into the darkness, Jameson readied his weapon. "Defensive positions."

His squad complied, preparing for the upcoming fight. After a couple of minutes, the Talon forces began to shoot and Jameson's team returned fire. It wasn't long until one of the team fell, unable to match the amount of firepower in front of them. Another trooper saw a grenade and managed to kick it away but not without a bullet hitting him in the process.

With two of the team down, the Talon forces pushed forward, now overwhelming the last three soldiers. The one soldier was hit in the head, killing him instantly and leaving Jameson and Buck as the only two left.

"We can still do this sir." Buck said, as the two took cover behind a broken off part of the dropship. He dropped his weapon and pulled out his shotgun, while Jameson reloaded his weapon.

"Let's make the end something to remember."

The two rose out of cover, firing at the small army in front of them. Buck was the first to fall, taking three shots to the chest in quick succession. Jameson meanwhile continued to fight, taking one round in his right shoulder, then another in his chest.

As the Talon soldiers surrounded him, he took another round in his back and one more in his chest before finally falling to his knees. Jameson looked up at a single Talon trooper, who walked forward to finish him off. With a single shot to his chest, Jameson fell backwards and the fight was over.

With the threats now eliminated, Doomfist stepped out from the forest, his armour badly damaged thanks to his fight with Reaper. He stepped over the body of the fallen captain and walking into the dropship, finding the destroyed accelerator inside. He couldn't help but laugh.

"So, Oxton destroyed her accelerator. How unexpected. Find Lacroix and the girl. Bring them to me."

"What about Reaper sir?" The Talon commander asked.

"He might have escaped us for now, yet he won't be able to hide from us forever. Focus on Lacroix. Bring her to me."

"Yes sir."

 _Authors note_

 _Hello there._

 _So, this chapter was longer than usual but I felt like it didn't work as two separate chapters. Besides, it probably makes up for the shorter one quite some time ago. So I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it :)_

 _Also, thanks once again for all the feedback and comments you've all sent me. It means a lot to see that people like the story._

 _Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you in the next one :)_


	30. Behind Enemy Lines

**Behind Enemy Lines**

The Black Forest, Germany- Two hours later

The forest sounded so peaceful to Emily, now that they were away from the fighting. It was still dark, with the clouds above hiding the moon, the only light source that was currently available. The storm above had long passed, yet rain was still pouring down, all of which made navigating the forest a difficult task.

After travelling for some time, Widow and Emily had found an abandoned cabin and Widow decided to stop and take shelter, hoping that the weather improved. The two stepped inside and began drying off, lighting a fire in a small fireplace to help do this. Widow soon stepped back outside, keeping an eye out for any Talon activity, while Emily sat alone, listening as the rain hit the roof of the old cabin.

As the rain continued, Emily reached for Lena's jacket, which she'd taken off so it could dry and placed it back on. Even now, it still hadn't sunk in that Lena wasn't here, currently lost in time all on her own. The jacket was the only thing she had left of her, so Emily wasn't going to leave it behind, no matter what.

After a short time, the door to the cabin opened and Widow stepped inside, her hair dripping wet due to the rain outside. She removed her thermal goggles and sat herself down near the fire, placing the goggles and her weapon down next to her.

"We're safe for now. No one's around."

Emily silently nodded, not sure how to respond. She'd never been in a situation like this before, on the run from an terrorist organisation that would likely kill her without a second thought. It was made even more surreal that the person protecting her was one of the most dangerous assassin's on the planet.

"I'm... I'm sorry about Lena... Will she be okay?"

Emily let out a long breath. "Yeah, she'll be alright... This has happened before. First her accident and then her accelerator was damaged in a fight... It affected her both times and she wasn't herself for a while... but it'll pass... She always recovers..."

Widow gently nodded, moving a couple of wet strands of hair out of her face. "How long have you two..?"

"Been a thing?" Emily said, finishing Widow's question. "I've known her for a long longer, yet we didn't become a couple until just after Doomfist was captured... What about you? Have anyone special in your life?" She asked, deciding to make conversation with Widow, suspecting that she was trying to help take her mind away from the situation they were in. She doubted that it would work but at least she could get to know who Widow really was.

Widow struggled to find an answer to Emily's question. "I... I don't know. Talon made me kill my husband, so I've not had anyone for years now."

"Oh... I'm so sorry, I didn't know..." Emily said, feeling guilty that she'd brought up the topic.

"It's okay." Widow replied, cutting Emily off. "That was a long time ago now. I found out that he forgave me, that he didn't blame me for what happened. I've brought that part of my life to a close... Recently though, I've not been sure if there's... someone else."

"That Sombra Lena mentioned?"

Widow nodded. "She helped me to move on, to forgive myself for what I was forced to do... She's a good friend... but I don't know if she means more to me."

"You should talk to her about it. You won't know until you do."

Widow nodded again, still unsure. "How did you know? With Lena?"

Emily considered the question for a moment. "I just sorta did... She kinda blurted it out and it took me by suprise but I knew I felt exactly the same way."

 _Flashback- Lena's apartment_

 _Lena was currently on leave, recovering from her recent fight with Doomfist. Overwatch managed to capture him, or to put it better, Winston managed to capture him. Genji was put out of action and Lena's accelerator was critically damaged. She disappeared again, only back now thanks to Winston._

 _Lena currently wasn't her normal self. Ever since Winston had built a replacement accelerator, Lena had been unusually quiet, keeping mostly to herself. Angela had noticed her change of behaviour and so ordered her to take some time off to recover, hoping that some time away from Overwatch would help._

 _Right now, Lena was sat in her local pub with Emily, waiting_ _for her to return with their drinks. Emily had been keeping her company the last few days, taking time out of her days to make sure Lena was doing alright. Lena was glad she was doing this, not really wanting to be alone right now. However, that wasn't the only reason she was glad Emily was here._

 _"Here you go." Emily said, as she placed a drink down in front of Emily, before sitting opposite her. Both glasses were filled with Coca Cola, since Emily didn't think giving Lena alcohol was a good idea right now._

 _"Thanks." Lena said, as she took a gulp of her drink._

 _"How have you been today?" Emily asked, taking a sip of her own drink._

 _"Alright I guess... I watched some tv, made myself some lunch... nothing much."_

 _Emily stood and moved her chair next to Lena, placing her hands on Lena's. "Okay, how are you feeling Lena. I can tel you're not yourself lately. Please, don't bottle it all up. Just, talk to me..."_

 _Lena looked up at Emily, unable to say no to her. "Honestly... I don't know Em. I thought I was okay with who I am now, that I'd learned to live with this thing strapped to me." She said, tapping on her accelerator. "But when it was damaged and I disappeared again... it scared me. I realised that if something happens to Winston, I could just vanish and never return. I don't want that to happen Em... I don't want to get stuck, all alone with no way to return..."_

 _Lena began crying and Emily immediately wrapped her arms around her, hugging her._

 _"Shh. It's okay Lena. That won't happen. Winston would have thought of that and he would have made preparations for just that situation."_

 _"_ _Yeah... yeah, I'm sure you're right... it's just... I don't want to have to go through that again... To be nothing but a ghost... It's horrible... but if I got stuck like that, with no way back..."_

 _"That won't happen Lena... I think you should talk to Winston and Angela about this. They understand it a lot better than I do and they'll help address your concerns."_

 _Lena nodded, wiping away her tears with one of her hands. "Yeah, you're right. I'll do that, don't worry... Thanks Em... you know, for being here and everything."_

 _Emily couldn't help but smile, as Lena looked up at her. "You're welcome Lena. I'm always here for you, no matter what."_

 _Lena looked straight at Emily, seeing her smiling at her. As she looked into her eyes, Lena didn't know what came over her. She leaned forward and kissed Emily, taking her by complete surprise. A few seconds later, Lena realised what she'd done and immediately pulled away, not sure what Emily was thinking._

 _"I... I'm sorry. I didn't... I didn't mean to do that." Lena said, struggling to find an excuse for what just happened. Emily meanwhile was just as shocked, not sure how she should respond to the situation._

 _"Um... Lena... why did you..?"_

 _Lena let out a deep breath, going red out of embarrassment. "God this is awkward... Didn't really want to tell you like this but guess I haven't got much choice now." She joked, trying to see the funny side. Truth was, she didn't have a clue how to explain this to Emily, so she just decided to tell her._

 _"Look, you know that I'm into girls and the last few days, I've had time to think things over... The truth is... The truth is that I like you Em... I mean, really like you. You've always been there for me and you've been a really great mate, my best mate actually. I think you're really pretty... scratch that, I think you're the most beautiful girl in the world and I don't think I'll ever find anyone else like you..."_

 _Lena stopped talking, looking up at Emily. She was still surprised by this, struggling to find any words for what she'd just been told. Lena lowered her head in defeat, suspecting that she didn't feel the same way._

 _"Look, thanks for the drink Em... but I think I need to get going... Sorry."_

 _Lena quickly headed out the door, leaving Emily sitting in the pub alone. She couldn't believe what just happened, that Lena just kissed her, let alone admitted she had feelings for her. Worse of all, she didn't say a thing and she cursed herself that she was foolish enough to just let Lena go. Without another thought, she ran out of the pub after her, finding her a short distance away._

 _"Lena, wait!"_

 _Lena looked away, not wanting to face Emily. "Look, I'm really sorry about what happened in there. I've not really been myself as of late... Can we just forget it ever happened?"_

 _"No Lena. I can't just forget what you told me. You know why I can't?"_

 _Lena reluctantly turned around, expecting a long conversation about why Emily didn't feel the same way. "You can't because..."_

 _Before Lena could even finish, Emily grabbed her jacket and pulled her straight towards her, smashing her lips against hers. Lena was surprised at first, yet moments later, she relaxed and melted into the kiss, wrapping her arms around Emily. When they parted for air, Emily had a large smile on her face._

 _"That's why I can't forget... because I feel exactly the same way."_

 _"Really?"_

 _"Really. Now, how about we head back to the pub and finish our drinks, then go out and watch a movie?"_

 _Lena began smiling, the first time she had since she'd gone on leave. After all this time, she couldn't believe Emily felt the same way._

 _"It's a date."_

Present day

Emily chuckled as she thought over the night she and Lena admitted their feelings to one another. Her smile would soon vanish though, as she returned to the here and now.

"There's no real way of telling someone how you feel." She began, continuing her conversation with Widow. "Lena always said life was too short and you should take every opportunity you can. So, if you think you like her, then you just have to find a way to tell her that works for you."

Widow nodded, taking in what Emily said. It wasn't a topic widow wanted to spend to long on though, her own thoughts returning to the situation they were in. She reached for the pistol Jameson had given her, currently sitting in a holster and showed it to Emily.

"I'm guessing you don't know how to use this?"

When Emily shook her head, Widow moved over to her, sitting herself down next to her. She then went through everything she considered Emily needed to know, turning the safety off, reloading the weapon and then firing. It took a few attempts before Emily seemed to have a basic understanding. Widow knew she was no soldier but considering the situation, it was good enough.

"That'll work." She said, Emily handing the weapon back to her.

"I'm not very good..."

"You don't need to be. You using this is a last resort. I'm going to stay close to you as much as I can... Now, try and get some rest. We'll stay here for a bit and see if this rain passes, then move out."

Emily took a breath. "Okay. What about you?"

"I'll stay awake and make sure no one sneaks up on us."

"Aren't you tired?"

"Non, I'm fine." Widow replied, standing and heading back towards the door. "Don't worry. It's the way Talon made me. I can stay in the field longer than most people."

Emily just nodded, not sure if Widow was telling the truth. Either way, she guessed she wasn't going to convince her otherwise and lay herself down. Sleeping on the floor wasn't comfortable by a long shot but it was the best she was going to get right now.

Watchpoint Gibraltar

Sombra was currently sprinting towards Winston's lab, the watchpoint unusually active considering the time it was. Her computer was going mad, constantly updating with new information. Something had happened, something big and she needed to tell Morrison right away.

When she arrived, the lab was in complete chaos. People were running from screen to screen, handing information to each other. Morrison and Ana were standing in the middle of the chaos, occasionally being given something before returning to a intense conversation.

"What's wrong Sombra?" Winston asked her, being the only person in the room who'd actually noticed her.

"I need to talk to Morrison. Something's happened at Talon and he needs to know."

At this point, Morrison had noticed that the hacker had entered the lab and waved her over.

"Don't suppose you have any idea what's going on in Talon, do you?" He asked, once Sombra and Winston reached him.

Sombra opened up her computer, flipping the screen so she could show Morrison what she'd found. "I've intercepted a lot of messages coming from within Talon, all of them on unrestricted channels. There's several mentions of fighting within Talon bases and one base has been designated a complete loss. It's almost like..."

"Like Talon's fighting amongst itself?" Morrison finished.

"Yeah... The fact that Talon's using unrestricted channels means something bad's happened. It's completely against protocol to do this."

Morrison nodded his head, the facts Sombra told him just confirming what he knew. A few moments later, Reinhardt entered the lab, not wearing his armour.

"You wanted to see me commander?"

"How well do you know the Black Forest?"

Reinhardt was somewhat confused by the random question, not sure why Morrison had asked him that.

"Uh... I'd say pretty good. Why do you ask?"

Morrison walked over to the nearby holo-table, while Ana continued to coordinate the operation in the lab. A couple of Overwatch personnel stopped what they were doing and stepped away from the table, so that Morrison could use it. A series of images appeared seconds later, as well as an satellite image of the Black Forest.

"We received a major tip off from the UK regarding an operation in the Black Forest in Germany. They found the Talon base they were keeping Lena and Amelie and managed to get them out. However, the entire team sent to get them is down and Amelie and Lena are on the run. We need to find them ASAP."

A section of the map now highlighted in red.

"We know they're not here, since the German military moved in to secure the Talon base. Other than that, we haven't a clue where they are right now. I was hoping you'd have an idea where they might be heading Reinhardt?"

Reinhardt places his hand on his chin, rubbing his beard as he thought. "Well, if it were me, I'd head away from the fighting and try to stay out of the way. Then, once it dies down, I'd head towards Eichenwalde."

"Problem is, would they do that?"

"Amelie might." Sombra said, opening her own computer and analysing the information she'd collected. "Talon made her into a survivalist. If a mission went very wrong and they couldn't get to her, then she'd lay low and try to make her way for extraction. Talon have set protocols for abandoning a base like this, yet with what I'm intercepting, it's likely they aren't even following them. If Amelie considers she could find a way to contact us from Eichenwalde, that's where she'd go."

"Talon will be looking for them as well. We should send a few dropships and check the whole area out from the air." Reinhardt suggested.

"It's too risky. The German military is all over the area right now. Thankfully, one of our old Blackwatch pilots recently arrived at the watchpoint, as well as one of the dropships."

"Permission to take a team to Eichenwalde sir?"

"Seems we had the same idea Reinhardt. Get a team together, maximum size of six and check out the area, see if you can find them... I can't believe I'm saying this but take the Bastion with you. Talon will likely send a lot of manpower to recapture Lena and Amelie. Make sure they don't do that."

"Understood sir."

"I want to be on that team." Sombra's said, just as Reinhardt began to leave.

"Negative. I need you here to work out what the hell is going on inside Talon."

"But..."

"No buts. You're the closest thing we have to an expert on Talon. You're the best person to try and work this out."

"I can easily do that while in the field... Look, I made a promise to look after Amelie and I failed... She got captured and I'm not going to stay here while she's out there in danger. Please, put me on that team."

Morrison sighed, leaning against the holo-table in front of him and shaking his head. Sombra was dead set on being part of the team and he could tell he was going to struggle to convince her otherwise. Even if he said no, she'd likely just hide on board anyway.

"It's your team Reinhardt."

The German shrugged in response. "Don't see why she shouldn't come along. Considering her stealth abilities, she'd be a very helpful addition."

"Fine. Find four more and get over there. I'll tell the pilot to get ready to move."

The Black Forest- 03:20

Widow had let Emily sleep for a few hours before waking her, deciding that it was time for them to move out. The fighting in the distance had died down and the rain had finally stopped, so Widow considered now was the best time to move. Thankfully, she had a better idea where they currently were, thanks to the destroyed Bastion's she'd come across, as well as an old newspaper she found scrunched up in the abandoned cabin.

The newspaper was written in German and using her powers of deduction, Widow guessed they may have been in the Black Forest. She remembered that Talon were planning to build some sort of base there, yet she wasn't aware that it was completed. There was no way she could know for sure, yet the pieces all fit. It was an abandoned forest, which had old, inoperable Bastion's littered all over the area and was somewhere that spoke German. If she was right, then Eichenwalde wasn't too far away.

With that in mind, Widow gently woke Emily and told her the makeshift plan she'd come up with. They'd make their way towards Eichenwalde, avoiding fights as long as they could and hopefully find some way to contact Overwatch. If all else failed and they couldn't find anything in Eichenwalde, then they'd keep moving until they found civilisation. It was a gamble, especially since Widow could have been wrong about where they were, yet it was the best plan she had right now.

Thankfully, the task of navigating towards their destination was a lot easier thanks to Widow's thermal goggles. As well as helping them move through the forest, Torbjorn had been tinkering with them and had installed a small digital compass in the corner of her vision. It was designed to help her during missions but right now, it was helping in another way. After tracing her steps back, she took an educated guess which way to go and started walking, Emily following close by.

The journey was thankfully uneventful, with no real threats around as they made their way towards their destination. Widow was betting on the idea that Talon would have already checked Eichenwalde and moved on by the time they arrived.

As they neared the abandoned village, Widow felt a slight amount of relief that her suspicions were proven correct. They were in fact in the Black Forest. However, while from a distance it appeared that there were no Talon forces in the village, she still couldn't be sure.

Widow was now forced to stop and consider their next move. Going into the village was a risk. Talon could still be prowling around, yet their might be something she could use to contact Overwatch. Then there was Emily. Sure she could stay outside the village while Widow looked around, yet that meant leaving her alone, which was extremely risky. For that reason, it wasn't even an option for Widow.

"What's wrong?" Emily finally asked, realising that the assassin was deep in thought.

"I don't know if Talon's in there." Widow replied, doing a quick check with her goggles and finding no targets. "If they are, it might be wise to stay away, yet their could be communication equipment inside..."

Widow activated her goggles a second time, seeing if anything had changed while she debated what to do. Continuing on was still an option, yet the sooner they were rescued, the better. They'd been lucky so far, yet this luck couldn't hold out forever and wandering around the forest wouldn't help improve it.

"Do you think going in is worth the risk?" Emily asked, unsure herself.

"Maybe... I can't see anyone from here, so if Talon's inside, then there can't be that many... But if even one person reported they'd seen us..."

"We'd be dead meat." Emily said, finishing Widow's statement for her. She weighed up their options, wondering what Lena would do. Eventually, she came to a decision. "I think we should go in."

Widow turned to face Emily. "Are you sure? It'll be dangerous, especially if Talon's in there."

Emily replied with a firm nod. "Yeah, I'm sure... Besides, I have you protecting me. Lena wouldn't have trusted you if she didn't have her reasons." She concluded, trying to lighten the mood.

"Alright then..." Widow said, still unsure if this was the best idea. She reached for the pistol and placed the silencer for it on, before handing it to Emily. "You'll need this. Don't use it unless you have to and if I ask for it, you give it to me."

"Got it."

With that, the two began to head towards the village, Widow keeping her rifle ready. Unlike the pistol, it had no silencer, meaning if she was forced to use it, she'd alert anyone in the nearby area she was around. She knew stealth was key here, so she kept herself and Emily to the shadows as much as possible.

The two moved into the town slowly, Widow checking each area out carefully before they slowly moved up, heading towards the main castle. Thankfully, the town appeared to be deserted. However, their luck didn't hold up and Widow eventually laid eyes on two Talon soldiers. They had their backs to them, meaning that Widow had the element of surprise.

She signalled Emily to stop, telling her to hide in the closest building and then asked for the pistol, temporarily trading her sniper with her. With the silenced pistol in hand, Widow snuck up behind the two soldiers, making sure there was no one who could witness the act, then killed both of them with two headshots.

She quickly put the pistol in its holster and grabbed the two bodies, pulling them into the building Emily was in. Emily couldn't help but look away, as Widow dragged the bodies into the room she was in. Once she was finished, Widow stepped back over to Emily and swapped weapons with her, before motioning for her to follow once again.

Even without seeing them, Widow knew that there were more Talon forces in the town. It would be extremely lucky if Talon only left two soldiers to guard the entire town and she felt like all their luck had been used up.

As they got closer to the castle, Widow was once again proven right, as several soldiers stood in their way, each patrolling in a different direction. On top of that, there was a small squad which appeared to be checking buildings. They were clearly looking for something and Widow didn't need to watch them to know they were looking for them.

Now Widow looked to the rooftops, seeing an opportunity to sneak by unnoticed. Talon had nobody on the roofs, meaning she could grapple both her and Emily up and then crawl across out of sight. Just before she told Emily the plan, it became obsolete, as a Talon dropship roared over them. It would be too risky to use the rooftops now.

As she tried to formulate another plan of action, the Talon troops were given orders over their radios. They all sprung to life, running off towards the castle and away from Widow and Emily.

"Where are they going?" Emily asked, keeping her voice down.

"I don't know... but it can't be good. It never is."

Once the area ahead was clear, the two women moved up again, Widow slowly leading the way and keeping an eye out for anyone with her thermal goggles. The area fell extremely quiet and Widow began to wonder if the Talon forces had just set a trap. However, when she began hearing gunfire, she realised that someone else must be here.

Before Widow could decide what to do with this information though, she heard an aircraft approaching in the distance. She turned around and saw a Talon dropship, heading straight towards them. They didn't have enough time to get to cover and the dropship flew straight over them.

"Did they see us?" Emily asked, worry clear in her voice.

Widow didn't answer, instead watching what the dropship did. It flew a little further, decreasing its speed before it began to land, turning as it did so that the door was facing them. However, it aborted its landing seconds later and the doors opened, revealing a Talon sniper, that was aiming straight towards them.

"Merde."

Widow instinctively kicked Emily backwards, hopefully to safety and activated her sniper, aiming straight up at the dropship. Her scope quickly found its target and she fired, scoring a perfect headshot. However, Widow screamed out in pain as soon as she fired, falling onto one knee. The downed sniper didn't have time to line up their shot, so they'd fired at the first thing they could, which just so happened to be Widow's right leg.

Emily ran over to Widow, kneeling down next to her. "Oh my god, are you okay?"

"Oui..." Widow began, slowly standing back up. "I'm perfectly... AH!"

Widow was quickly back on the floor, sitting herself down and holding her right leg, a small amount of blood appearing on her hand. She wasn't able to put any pressure on her leg, meaning she couldn't walk. She looked at the gunshot wound and realised that the bullet had gone straight through her leg. She thanked the fact she had a slower heartbeat, as it meant she wouldn't bleed to death anytime soon. However, she knew that it would need medical attention in the very near future.

"Okay... not so good." Widow finally admitted, as she breathed through the pain. She'd been shot before, though usually she had some basic medical supplies supplied by Talon with her, which allowed her to heal up the injuries or fight through any pain she was suffering. This time, she had no such luxury.

As she composed herself, a couple of Talon soldiers ran around the corner, aiming at the two women. Thankfully, Widow was still able to shoot and reacted with lighting fast speed. The two soldiers were dead in seconds, with another two perfect headshots.

"You'll have to help me walk." Widow told Emily, wrapping her left arm around her. They stood up, Widow using Emily to take pressure off her right leg. She held up her rifle using her other hand, still able to use the SMG function.

"Which way?" Emily asked, looking around the area in panic.

"That way." Widow replied, pointing with her rifle. "Hopefully we'll find some medical supplies that I can use."

The two women moved as quick as they could, Widow trying her best to keep her weight off her wounded leg. As they headed the way Widow pointed, they came face to face with two Talon soldiers. Even with an arm around Emily, Widow was still able to raise her weapon, firing the SMG and taking down the two soldiers.

They continued on their current path, until Widow directed Emily into an open building. When they stepped inside, they realised it was an old tavern, which had seen far better days. Widow briefly looked behind the bar, leaning against the counter as she searched for a first aid kit. After coming up empty handed, Widow heard people talking from outside. She quickly walked over to Emily and put her arm back around her, pointing towards the back of the room.

"Put me down over there."

Emily rushed to the back of the tavern, placing Widow down in a spot where she could watch all the possible ways in. Emily took cover behind her, readying the pistol for the fight she suspected was coming.

"Don't use that pistol unless you have to." Widow said, as she activated her thermal goggles, waiting for the incoming Talon forces to enter the tavern.

Overwatch dropship- Five minutes earlier

The dropship sped towards Eichenwalde, the pilot very much aware how time was agaisnt them. The old Blackwatch dropship had recently been repainted, removing any mention of the old black ops team. It was a part of Overwatch that the agents and soldiers alike wanted to forget.

Reinhardt had considered his choices carefully before selecting his team. Along with Sombra and the Bastion, he'd picked Brigitte, McCree and Baptiste, believing them to be the best choices here.

Inside the dropship, Reinhardt and Brigitte were at the front of the ship, talking about the mission and creating a plan in case Talon were at Eichenwalde. McCree was sat on the right side smoking a cigar, while the Bastion was sat at the back, not doing much except watch Sombra.

Sombra was pacing back and forth in the middle of the dropship, nervous about the mission. Baptiste was sat on the left of the ship, watching her pace. After seeing Sombra open her computer for the seventh time since they'd set off, he reached for his weapon and fired a healing grenade at her, grabbing her attention.

"Seriously, you're going to fall through the ship if you keep pacing like that."

"He has a point, you really need to calm down. If they're at Eichenwalde, then we'll find them." McCree added.

Sombra sighed and closed down her computer, seeing no new information. She slowly walked over and sat next to Baptiste, resting her head against the cold metal behind her.

"Hey, who's shooting up my dropship?"

"It was only a healing grenade, nothing to worry about." McCree told the pilot, reassuring her.

McCree just so happened to know this pilot. It was the same pilot who'd picked up the Blackwatck team in Rialto, after all hell broke lose. While she may not have had anything on Tracer when it came to piloting, he knew they were in good hands.

"You're meant to wait until we enter the war zone before you start shooting. Otherwise it's difficult to explain why there's gunshots inside." The pilot replied, clearly joking around.

"We're not flying into a war zone."

"I was told that the last time. How many Talon soldiers ended up going after you again? Anyway, you all better get ready, we're approaching the landing... CRAP, HOLD ON!"

The dropship suddenly turned left, throwing everyone to the one side of the ship, apart from the Bastion, who remained in it's sitting position while it slid slightly towards the left. McCree stood up, after being thrown out of his sitting position and walked to the front of the dropship, banging against the door to the cockpit.

"What the hell was that?"

"Someone fired a rocket at us. I managed to lose it but Talon clearly knows we're here."

"There goes our element of surprise." Reinhardt mumbled, as he picked up his hammer and readied for a fight.

"I'm going to set you down in front of the castle, prepare for landing."

The agents all stood up, readying their weapons as the dropship quickly landed. The doors opened and everyone ran out, Reinhardt activating his barrier as it immediately began taking fire from a small squad of Talon grunts. The Bastion ran behind it and transformed into its turret configuration, gunning down the small squad before changing targets for another approaching squad.

Once the dropship was empty, the pilot took off, flying away from the area.

"I'll try to find a place to set down and wait for your signal. Don't take too long, if I can't do that I'll have to keep flying around and I don't have the fuel to keep that up."

"Understood. Brigitte, take the Bastion and check the lower levels of the town. Sombra, check inside the castle, then regroup on me. Baptiste, McCree and I will push forward and distract any Talon forces that arrive."

Everyone acknowledged the command, before splitting up. Sombra went invisible and ran inside the castle, while Brigitte led the Bastion ran to the left, intending to bypass the Talon forces through the battlements and head to the lower parts of the town.

Reinhardt, McCree and Baptiste pushed forward, as three Talon dropships flew into view. They stopped and unloaded troops on the path in front of them, grouping up and firing at Rein's barrier. A fourth dropship appeared from further away and went to land, yet it aborted and turned away from the team. Moments later, two sniper shots were heard, before the dropship doors closed, the aircraft lowering to the ground and unloading whoever was left onboard.

"What was that?" Sombra asked, hearing the shot from inside the castle.

"Sniper shots, two of them." McCree answered, as he fired his revolver at the Talon soldiers in front.

"Sombra, is the castle clear?" Reinhardt asked, all but certain who one of the snipers was.

"I can't see anyone in here."

"Then they're in the lower town. Get down there and try to find them."

Sombra didn't need to be told twice, remaining invisible and sprinting out of the castle. She took the same route Brigitte and Bastion took, stopping to take out a few Talon troopers that were attempting to flank behind the team. Once the troopers were down, she activated her cloak once more and continued on, quickly finding Brigitte and Bastion. Brigitte had her barrier raised, taking a few shots from a Talon squad while the Bastion fired at back in its sentry configuration.

Once the enemy squad was down, Brigitte lowered her shield, allowing it to recharge and the Bastion reloaded its weapon. Sombra made herself visible again and ran over to them, patting the Bastion on the arm as she passed it.

"Any idea where they are?"

Before Brigitte could answer, two more dropships appeared, deploying two squads of troopers each. The closest two began attacking the small team, while the other two continued lower into the town, where Brigitte knew the old tavern was.

Brigitte raised her now recharged barrier up, protecting Sombra from the incoming attack while she fired back. The Bastion meanwhile transformed into its tank configuration, the Talon soldiers panicking soon after. They could do little else before an entire squad was eliminated, taken out by a single shot from the tank cannon.

The remaining squad began to retreat, trying to get away from the Bastion. The soldiers were not able to run far before the Bastion finished them off. With the squads neutralised, the Bastion stopped, scanning the immediate area before it continued forward, heading towards the tavern while remaining in its tank configuration. As it vanished around the corner, Brigitte and Sombra didn't wait around, giving chase a few moments later.

When they turned around the corner, they saw the Bastion engaging a number of Talon soldiers, while others were moving inside the tavern. The soldiers were dug in, yet the Bastion was making quick work of them, even when two more dropships arrived to reinforce them.

Sombra and Brigitte stayed behind a building, using it as cover while the Bastion continued to wreck havoc on the Talon forces. Eventually, the Bastion began moving forward again, still in its Tank configuration as it headed inside the tavern. There were still some Talon soldiers outside and Brigitte moved out of cover, raising her barrier up while Sombra fired her weapon behind it.

"The Bastion's clearly found something in there." Brigitte said, as the few remaining troopers fell. "Get in there. I can handle these."

Meanwhile, several minutes earlier, Widow had her scope aimed at the main entrance of the tavern, firing when any Talon soldiers appeared from around the corner. Her thermal goggles made the task much easier, allowing her to see what the enemy soldiers were doing.

However, she was concerned about the amount of ammo she had left. As another two troopers entered from either side of the doorway, each going down within a second of each other, Widow reloaded her weapon. She was down to four magazines now, nowhere near enough to fight off Talon forever.

Once her weapon was loaded up, she looked back to the door, seeing Talon troopers grouping up at the entrance. A couple also headed to the door on the left and it was obviously the troopers where intending to attack from two angles.

The other troopers that she'd killed were only small teams. This time, it appeared to be at least two squads of soldiers. She knew this would be a difficult fight on her own.

"Emily, I need your help. Two Talon soldiers through the left door that I can't take down. You need to do it."

Emily looked at the door, before reluctantly aiming the pistol up and acknowledging Widow.

"Alright... I... I can do that."

Widow didn't like asking Emily to do this. She was no soldier and it wasn't hard to see she was terrified. Yet there was little other choice. She watched as the Talon troopers moved into position, before they began moving for the doors.

"Here they come."

The first trooper entered, being gunned down the moment his head was in view. Another went down shortly after, not able to react to the sniper in time. The rest of the squad hesitated, which allowed Widow to move her scope and fire at one of the targets entering from the left. However, she didn't have enough time to take down the other, watching as the Soldier raised his weapon, ready to fire.

The shot never came though, as several bullets from a pistol impacted with the soldier. He stayed standing for a second, before falling backwards. Emily just stared at the fallen soldier, still pointing the pistol at the doorway as the weight of what she just did hit her.

"Oh my god... I just..."

"It's them or us."

Emily moved herself back into cover, her hands shaking as she reloaded the pistol. "Yeah... I know."

Widow had her eyes on the doorway the whole time, watching to see what the squad did. One reached for something on his belt, arming it before throwing it inside the room. Widow deactivated her goggles, realising that it was a flashbang.

"Take cover!"

Widow was left blinded, with no idea where the enemy was. So, she did the only thing she could. She fired blindly across the room, hoping that she hit something. The rifle quickly ran out of ammo and the next thing Widow felt was the weapon being kicked out of her hands before a kick to her face followed it.

Widow groaned, as she regained her vision and hearing. There were three Talon soldiers above her, a fourth lying on the floor, after taking several shots from Widow's blind fire. The one trooper aimed a pistol at Widow's head, while the other two aimed at where Emily was hiding.

"We know you're there. You have no where to go, come out or we kill her."

Emily didn't move and the Talon soldiers grew impatient. The one aiming at Widow placed his foot against her gunshot wound, causing her to hiss out in pain. She did her best to hide the pain, as the soldier put more force against the wound.

Before the Talon troopers could speak to Emily again, they heard explosions and screams from outside. One headed towards the door, after being told to go investigate, only to be killed moments later. After a large explosion, a small tank rolled into the tavern, stopping as it saw the soldier aiming at Widow. The other quickly aimed at the new hostile, knowing full well it was the Bastion that they'd heard was tearing through their forces.

"Don't move! Move and I kill her!"

The Bastion analysed the situation in front of it, trying to work out what to do. It couldn't fire at either of the troopers, otherwise Widow would end up dead.

Thankfully, it gave Emily a chance to make a move, aiming at the trooper who currently held Widow hostage. She did her best to line up her shot, her hands still shaking and then fired. The soldier took a couple of rounds in his back, causing him to stumble forward. It was enough to allow Widow to roll to the side, getting herself out of harms way and giving the Bastion the opportunity it needed.

The tank cannon moved to the other trooper, who was turning to attack Emily and fired, hitting the ground next to him. Splinters of wood filled the room, which Emily managed to avoid by taking cover again.

The first soldier wasn't dead though, turning back around to kill Widow. However, he never got the chance, as Sombra appeared behind him, her weapon aimed straight at him. Once the last soldier was dealt with, the Bastion transformed back into its sentry mode, running into the tavern and sitting back down in its turret configuration, watching the doors.

"It's safe to come out Emily." Widow said, as she sat herself up and then checked her wounded leg. The bleeding hadn't stopped and her outfit around the wound was now covered in blood. Sombra turned around, seeing Widow's injury and was instantly next to her. Brigitte walked in a few moments later, heading over to Emily, who'd stood up from her hiding place.

"That looks bad." Sombra said, as Widow removed her hand from the wounded area, covered in blood.

"I won't bleed out anytime soon, but it needs medical attention." Widow paused for a second, before she smiled at Sombra. "It's good to see you."

"Miss me then?" Sombra joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Maybe a little."

As the two women smiled at each other, Brigitte walked over, kneeling down next to Widow and pulled out a red cloth. Before she did anything, she reluctantly asked Widow a question.

"Where's Lena?"

Widow lowered her head, seeing Emily walk over to the group. "Her accelerator was damaged..."

Nothing more needed to be said. Brigitte nodded her head, before returning to Widow's leg.

"I'm going to wrap this up to slow down the bleeding."

Brigitte gently raised up Widow's leg, placing the cloth around the wound before tightening it up. Widow hissed out in pain again, doing her best at keeping quiet. Once the makeshift bandage was in place, Brigitte stood and activated her commlink.

"Reinhardt, we found Amelie and Emily."

"Excellent work! What about Lena?"

"...Her accelerator was damaged..."

"Understood." Reinhardt knew what that meant. Lena wasn't here, yet she was out of harms way. The most important thing now was to get Widow and Emily to safety.

"Amelie's been hit, we need medical support." Brigitte now reported, hoping that the rest of the team could make their way to them. However, this idea was shot down instantly.

"We can't reach you. Several Talon dropships just dropped off reinforcements in front of us and they seemed determined not to let us get to you."

"Okay, what's the plan?" Brigitte asked, assuming Reinhardt had one.

"I'll call for evac and tell it to go to the secondary landing zone. Make your way there."

"Got it." Brig now turned to the rest of the team. "Alright, we need to move. Amelie, any chance you can walk on that wound?"

"Non."

"In which case, the Bastion will take point, while I'll carry you."

"No." Widow interrupted. "You need to protect Emily. Sombra can protect me."

Sombra nodded at Brigitte. "Yeah, I can do that, don't worry."

"Okay, I'll cover Emily with my shield, while Sombra keeps Amelie safe. We'll follow behind the Bastion as it clears the way to the LZ. Everyone got that?"

Everyone in the tavern nodded, including the Bastion, which made a nodding motion in its turret form.

"Good. Let's move out."

The Bastion transformed into sentry form, leading the way out of the tavern. Brigitte wasn't too far behind, keeping herself close to Emily, ready to raise her barrier to protect her. Sombra stood up, picking up Widow's rifle before holding her hand out for her. She helped Widow to her feet and then made sure she could keep her weight off her wounded leg.

The team moved through the town slowly, Sombra doing her best to help Widow walk. They were met with very little resistance, as the majority of the Talon forces were occupied with Reinhardt's team. Brigitte kept her shield raised over Emily, protecting her from the small amount of fire that came their way. The majority of the firepower was directed at the Bastion, which made short work of the small amount of resistance they encountered.

They eventually reached the battlements of the castle, which Reinhardt's team were currently on top of. Brigitte kept her barrier raised as the Emily, Sombra and Widow walked from cover to cover. The Bastion meanwhile kept its self repair active, repairing any damage it took. The team quickly made their way to the top of the battlements, grouping up with the rest of the squad.

Once they were at the LZ, Sombra placed Widow down, letting Baptiste look over her wound. He quickly healed up the damage using his healing grenades and Widow gently stood up, now able to walk again.

"Merci."

"Angela will need to check it over properly once we're back at base, but it'll do for now."

With the whole team now present, Reinhardt contacted the dropship pilot.

"How long until you're here?"

"The whole area's a warzone, Talon ships are everywhere and the German military's realised something's going on. I'm doing my best to keep out of their way but it means it'll take a little longer to get to you... Heads up, more are on their way."

"Copy that. Amelie, stay close to Emily and keep her covered. Everyone else, defensive positions!"

The team spread out over the top of the battlements, watching every possible way up to them. Reinhardt and the Bastion walked up to the edge of the building, the Bastion setting up in its turret form while Reinhardt protected it with his barrier. McCree watched the way up from inside the building, while Baptiste watched the opposite way behind him. Brigitte and Sombra watched the top of the building, in case any Talon soldiers attempted to flank behind them. Widow meanwhile knelt down next to Emily, behind a concrete wall, keeping what little ammo she had left in case she needed it.

A few moments later, three Talon dropships roared into view, unloading several squads of soldiers on the ground level. The Bastion focused fire on the closest ship, firing as it began to fly away. It didn't take long before the dropship began to fall, crashing down and exploding outside of the town.

The Bastion then shifted targets, firing at the soldiers below and taking out as many enemies as it could. The ones which managed to get out of sight were then met with either McCree or Baptiste. Some troopers did attempt to flank around but Brigitte and Sombra stood in their way. Brigitte kept her shield raised, allowing Sombra to gun down the enemy troopers with ease.

The Talon troopers spent some time pinned down by the Overwatch agents, simply unable to get past them no matter which way they went. They attempted to group up under the doorway McCree was protecting, a task made difficult thanks to the Bastion cutting down any trooper it saw. Once they had a reasonably sized force, they pushed forward, trying to overwhelm McCree. However, he rolled backwards out of the line of fire, while Reinhardt and Brigitte moved to assist him.

One hammer down later and half of the Talon force was on the ground, Reinhardt charging in shortly after. Brigitte followed behind him and the two quickly finished off any soldiers that tried to stand their ground.

The two now moved back into their original positions, Baptiste firing a couple of healing grenades while Brigitte quickly checked over Reinhardt's armour, happy to see it wasn't damaged. Once back in position, McCree thought of something.

"Hey Reinhardt, didn't Morrison say the German army was all over this area?" He said, remembering the brief Reinhardt had given just before the mission.

"He did. Why?"

"With all this fighting going on, someone should've noticed. So, where the hell are they?"

Before Reinhardt could come up with a good answer, another three dropships appeared, unloading more squads of soldiers as well as a Talon heavy, which they heard get dropped in behind them.

Thankfully, they didn't have to deal with it, as the Overwatch dropship flew in over the castle. It lowered down towards the squad and landed on top of the battlement, the pilot immediately opening the doors.

"Everyone, get aboard!"

"You heard her! Everyone inside!"

Widow and Emily were the first on board, followed by Brigitte and Sombra. McCree and Baptiste were next, firing at a few Talon soldiers which were too close before boarding. Reinhardt and the Bastion were the last aboard, the Bastion standing from its position and the two ran over to the dropship.

"Everyone's here, go!"

Reinhardt raised his barrier, stopping any bullets from hitting the occupants as the dropship began to take off. The doors closed and the pilot pushed the engines to maximum power.

"Hold on!"

The dropship roared to life, escaping the range of the enemy soldiers before they could cause any significant damage. Two Talon dropships attempted to give chase but they were not able to keep up. After a few tense minutes, the dropship was far out of reach.

"We're clear."

"Good work." Reinhardt said to the pilot, before he activated his radio, contacting Morrison at Gibraltar. As he did this, the occupants all relaxed. McCree and Baptiste sat down, McCree pulling out a new cigar and offering it to Baptiste, who declined the offer. Brigitte stayed next to Reinhardt, intending to speak to him after he finished his conversation with Morrison. Meanwhile, the Bastion sat itself down at the back of the dropship, minding its own business.

As the dropship now turned and made its way towards Gibraltar, Sombra walked over to Widow, sitting herself down and joining both her and Emily, who was staring at the door of the dropship, still holding the pistol. Widow had noticed this and gently tapped Emily on her arm, shaking her out of the trance she was in.

"It's okay... We're safe now."

It took a few moments for the words to sink in, before Emily broke down in tears and hugged Widow. Nothing was said between them, as Widow took the pistol from Emily and passed it over to Sombra. She then wrapped her arms around Emily, comforting her as she let out what felt like a years worth of tears.

"Thank you..." Emily managed to say, as she continued to hug Widow.

"You're welcome."

The dropship was relatively quiet for the rest of the journey, no one quiet sure what to say. Eventually, the lack of sleep caught up to Emily and she found herself resting her head on Widow's shoulder, closing her eyes and falling into a deep sleep.

"Hey Amelie." McCree quickly said, making sure he didn't wake Emily. "Nice work."

"Thank you... If only I could have gotten Lena out too."

"Don't worry, we'll get her back. Winston'll know what to do."

Widow just slowly nodded, making sure she didn't wake up Emily. She remained sitting where she was, letting Emily sleep as the rest of the team began quickly talking to themselves. As she sat there, she felt Sombra place a hand on hers.

"Are you okay?"

Widow couldn't help but smile. "Oui. I'm okay Sombra. However, I need to speak with Morrison when we get back."

"Why? Can't it wait?"

"Non... Gabriel went rogue Sombra. He went rogue to get me out." Widow whispered the last part, making sure no one heard her.

"What? Seriously?"

"Oui... He's no longer working for Talon."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Sombra asked, remembering that she wasn't on the best of terms with Reaper right now.

"Honestly..? I don't know."


	31. Lost In Time

**Lost In Time**

 _She was alone. Nothing more than a ghost now._

 _Lena didn't know where she was, or how long she'd been here. Time seemed to function differently here, though that could easily be her imagination playing tricks on her. Truth was, Lena didn't know a single thing about this place and she suspected that Winston only knew a little more than her._

 _The only thing Lena knew was that she was alone, isolated from the rest of the world. Her thoughts turned to Emily, hoping that she was okay. She didn't know what it was but Lena had a feeling, something that told her Emily was safe. Maybe she had some sort of connection with the real world. Maybe it was just her gut feeling._

 _Either way, there was nothing she could do here. All she could do was wait. Wait in this hell, whatever it was. Wait and hope the person she loved was still alive._

 _The problem was that she didn't know how much longer she could wait. Every second she spent here was breaking her and she knew she wouldn't last much longer._

Watchpoint Gibraltar

Angela walked through the base as quickly as she could, heading towards the landing pads. Athena had informed her that Widow and Emily had been rescued, along with what had happened to Lena. She hadn't checked in on Winston since getting the news, partly because he'd kicked everybody else out of his lab but mainly because she knew he would be busy. Most of the operational side of the base had been moved to the command centre by now, so it wasn't of major inconvenience for Morrison to move what was left out of the lab.

Winston would get Lena back, Angela was certain of that. Right now, she needed to focus on Emily and Widow. As she reached the landing pad, she was surprised to see Winston there, clearly waiting for the incoming dropship.

Angela slowly walked over to the landing pad, stopping next to Winston.

"Everything okay Winston?" She asked, not expecting him to be here. She knew he was worried about Lena, the two were after all very good friends, so she considered he'd be in his lab, busy powering up the chamber needed to rescue Lena.

"Yes, I'm okay. Athena has started the process of powering up the chamber, so I wanted to speak to Emily when she arrived and see how she's holding up." Winston answered, gaining a nod from Angela.

After waiting for a few more minutes, the dropship finally came into view, hovering over them and slowly descending to the landing pad. Shortly after touching down, the dropship doors opened and the passengers disembarked.

Reinhardt and Brigitte were the first ones out, followed closely by the Bastion. Baptist and McCree were next, McCree tipping his hat at Winston and Angela as they passed. Once the rest were off, Sombra, Widow and Emily disembarked. The three gently walked over to Angela and Winston, Emily stopping in front of the gorilla, who gave her a warm smile.

Upon seeing the gorilla, Emily instinctively stepped forward and hugged him. Winston responded by gently placing his arms around Emily, comforting her as best as he could. He knew how much Emily meant to Lena and how much Lena meant to Emily. So he was determined to bring her back, no matter what.

"We'll get her back Emily. I promise you."

While Winston comforted Emily, Widow and Sombra spoke to Angela.

"Good to see you again Amelie." Angela said, gaining a smile from Widow.

"Thanks Angela. It's... good to be back." Widow replied, pausing to look over to Sombra. Sombra didn't notice her do this, yet Angela caught on very quickly, suspecting there was a deeper meaning behind Widow's words. In any case, it was a matter for another day. Angela had other priorities right now.

"I know you two just got back but I'd like to check you and Emily over, make sure that you're both okay. I heard you took a shot in your leg, so it'll put my mind at rest."

"It's quite alright." Widow reassured, agreeing with Angela. The medic turned to Winston and Emily, who'd stopped hugging the gorilla and was wiping away a few tears. She'd heard Angela speaking to Widow and so nodded in agreement.

"Yeah... probably a good idea."

Angela lead the two women towards the medical bay, Sombra not far behind. As they left, Winston turned to the rest of the team, who were still nearby and walked over.

"Nice work bringing them home."

"Thanks." Reinhardt replied. The victory was bitter sweet though. They'd rescued Emily and Widow, yet Lena was still lost. "You'll be able to bring Lena back, right?"

"Athena's powering up the chamber. It'll take a bit of time to run through the checks but I'll get her back... I just hope she's alright."

Medical bay- 10 minutes later

Angela got to work straight away, checking over Emily first. She was glad to see that physically Emily was okay, with only some minor cuts and bruises. However, it was Emily's mental state that worried her. Angela was very aware that Emily had never been in a gunfight before, let alone had to kill someone. She was shaken up to say the least. In top of that, she was worried about Lena, worried if she'd be alright.

"I think we should have some one to one sessions." Angela began, after she'd managed to get Emily to open up. "Physically you're fine but I'm concerned about how this ordeal has affected you mentally. I know what it's like to go through something like this and due to what you've told me, I think it would be good if you talked it through with someone."

Emily nodded in agreement. "Yeah... I think that'll help... Thank you Ang."

"You're welcome. Now, I can see you're tired, so try to get some rest..."

"What about Lena?" Emily interrupted, worry taking over again. "I... I need to be there when she comes back."

"Don't worry Emily." Angela replied softly. "Winston is going as fast as he can but it'll take some time."

"I can inform doctor Ziegler when we are ready to begin if that would help." Athena added, which helped settle Emily down again.

"...Okay then. Thank you."

Athena fell silent again, likely returning to whatever task she was currently doing. Angela gave Emily a warm smile, before continuing with what she was saying beforehand.

"I can give you something to help you sleep if you'd like?"

"Yeah... I think I'll need it... Can I... can I stay here?"

"Of course you can."

Angela smiled again, before she stood and walked to the back of the medical bay, returning with a single tablet and a glass of water. It wasn't anything too powerful, only enough to send Emily to sleep and she was more than happy to let her stay in the bay. She wasn't exactly short on space and it let her keep an eye on her.

Emily quickly took the tablet, drinking the water as she swallowed it. She then lay herself down on the bed she was sat on and closed her eyes, falling into a deep sleep shortly after.

As Emily finally got some needed rest, Angela walked over to Widow and Sombra, who were talking to themselves as they waited for Angela to see them

"How is she?" Widow asked, seeing the redhead now fast asleep.

"She'll be okay. I know better than most what it's like to be captured by Talon and how it can affect someone... Thank you for keeping her safe Amelie."

Widow smiled. "I made a promise to keep her safe. I wasn't prepared to break it... How will Lena be?"

Angela sighed. "Honestly, Lena never really takes this well. The last time she had Emily to help her through it... This time though, I think they'll both need each other."

"What do you mean?"

"Emily's worried about Lena and in turn, Lena will be worried sick about Emily. Once we get Lena back, I think the two of them will help each other through this."

Widow gave a short nod, before returning to the reason she was here. "You wanted to look over my leg."

Angela went to work once again, looking over the area that the sniper bullet had entered. She was pleased to see that the medical treatment Widow had received was quite good. She checked over the rest of Widow's injuries, before she used her healing staff to make sure the wound was healed up.

"How are you feeling?" Angela asked Widow, once she was happy that there weren't any major injuries.

"I'm okay." Widow answered, knowing what Angela was asking. "Once we agreed to start helping Talon, they treated us quite well, considering the circumstances."

Angela nodded, seeing how well Widow was taking the entire situation. In all honesty, it didn't really surprise her that much. Widow had already been subjected to the worst Talon could do.

"Amelie..." Angela began, making sure to keep her voice down, so she didn't disturb Emily. "You seem to be coping well but how were Emily and Lena?"

Widow paused for a moment, looking over to the bed Emily was currently on. "Not good... Lena was not herself, too worried about Emily. I think Emily took things better... but it still affected her."

Angela took a moment to absorb the information. "I'll keep an eye on them. Hopefully, with some sessions with me and the two of them supporting each other, they'll get through this." As she finished, she suspected that something else was bothering Widow. "Is there something else Amelie? It looks like there's something on your mind."

There were some other things that were bothering Widow. The first one was Reaper. Him turning against Talon was a major blow to them and if he had his way, Talon would have two major threats to deal with now. She knew Morrison needed to know.

The second thing was much closer. Standing right next to her in fact. She'd had time to think about her feelings towards Sombra but she still wasn't sure what to do. Both Lena and Emily had given her advice and she knew she needed to... no, wanted to talk to her about it.

Yet now wasn't the right time.

"I just need to speak with Morrison." Widow told Angela. "Something important happened inside Talon that he needs to know about."

"Commander Morrison is currently in the base command centre." Athena quietly announced, being careful not to wake up Emily. "I can pass on a message for you if you wish?"

"Non. I need to speak to him about it, urgently."

"Very well Amelie. I will inform him of this."

"You can go see him now." Angela said, after Athena had finished speaking. "There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with you medically and I'm satisfied your okay mentally. If you ever feel the need to talk though, please do come and see me."

"Oui, thank you Angela."

With that, Widow stood herself up and headed for the door, Sombra no more than a few steps behind. It didn't take them long to find their way outside.

"Are you sure there isn't something else bothering you?" Sombra eventually asked, seeing the troubled expression Widow had.

Widow stopped and sighed. She knew lying to Sombra was a bad idea, yet she wasn't ready to talk to her about this just yet. "Oui, there is something on my mind. Now just isn't the time to talk about it... Not while Lena is missing."

"I get it, don't worry." Sombra replied, giving Widow a reassuring smile. "When you're ready, I'll be here."

Talon facility- Unknown location

"So let me get this straight." The person on the other end of the phone began. "One of your best agent's gone rogue and you want us to take him down?"

"Yes." Doomfist said "you've worked with Reaper before, so you know what he is capable of."

"That's the issue. Taking out Reaper isn't exactly the same as blowing up some Omnics or stealing something valuable. You might be sending us some backup but we'd be putting our necks on the line and a lot of explosives would be needed to do the job properly."

Doomfist expected such a move. In the end, it always came down to money.

"How much to you want?"

"Triple our usual payment."

"Done."

"Wait, that easy? I should have asked for more, is four still an option?"

"You take down Reaper and I'm willing to pay you five times your usual fee."

"Five times? No worries mate, he's as good as dead."

There was a laugh, before the phone call ended. Doomfist placed the phone down and took a drink from his coffee.

"I don't believe hiring Junkrat and Roadhog to take down Reyes is a good idea." Moira said, once Doomfist finished up the call. "They are too valuable an asset to risk against him."

"Do not worry Moira. Reyes is remarkable but he is not immortal. Sooner or later, one of our sources will locate him. When they do and with that amount of money on the line, I'm fairly sure Junkrat and Roadhog will go to no length to take him down." Doomfist took another drink, before changing the subject. "How goes your project?"

"Very well actually. I believe we're almost ready to begin testing."

"Excellent. May I suggest you hold off testing for a short while?"

"I can, though whatever for?"

"I think Overwatch should have a demonstration of what we are truly capable of."

Moira smirked. "I believe that can be arranged."

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Command centre

The command centre was finally operational, with a numerous amount of personnel overseeing the day to day functions of the Watchpoint. As well as operating the base, several personnel were busy collecting intel, finding out as much information as they could about current world events.

When Widow and Sombra walked into the command centre, a number of people looked over, most simply glancing for a second before continuing on with what they were doing. A couple though stopped and looked for longer, shocked that Talon's best assassin had indeed changed sides. After a few seconds, everyone went back to their tasks, expecting an earful if Morrison caught them staring any longer.

At the back of the room stood Morrison and Ana, who were both leaning against a holo-table. They were currently looking over the news regarding the Petras Act. There was still no decision, yet the UN were planning to call a vote on the matter soon.

"That's something at least." Morrison said to Ana, before he noticed Widow and Sombra and waved them over.

"Athena said you wanted to speak to me?"

"Oui." Widow answered, pausing for a moment before she continued. "Two things."

Widow reached into her pocket and pulled out a small memory stick, placing it on the table in front of her.

"What's this?" Morrison asked, picking up the memory stick.

"It has intel from Talon on it. That British captain, Jameson, told me to give it to you."

Morrison looked at the memory stick for a moment, before placing it back onto the table. He'd have one of the techs look it over and they'd hopefully find something useful on it.

"Thanks for bringing this to us. What was the second thing?"

"It's about Gabriel Reyes."

"Reaper? What about him?"

"He's gone rogue."

Morrison stopped what he was doing and stood up straight. "What do you mean he's gone rogue?"

Widow took another breath. "The reason me, Lena and Emily were able to escape from Talon was because he betrayed them. Doomfist realised he was doing this and attacked him. On top of that, some of the Talon soldiers sided with Reyes and attacked Doomfist's forces. Simply put, Reyes, along with whatever forces followed him, are currently enemies of Talon."

Morrison took a moment to digest this revelation, leaning against the holo-table once again.

"That explains the reported infighting we got before we rescued you..." Morrison sighed, rubbing his eyes as he thought. "Okay, I'll look into this. Thanks for bringing it to my attention Amelie."

Widow gave Morrison a quick nod, before both her and Sombra left, Widow heading off on her own so she could return her equipment to Torb, before finally getting some sleep. This left Morrison and Ana to think over the information they'd been told.

"So, is this a good thing, or a bad thing?" Ana eventually asked, not quite sure what Morrison was thinking.

"I don't know Ana... I really don't know. What do you think?"

"I think it's a little of both. Reyes not being part of Talon is definitely a major blow to them. However, he's unpredictable, full of anger and has ex-Talon soldiers on his side. Who knows what his next move will be."

"That's what I'm afraid of..." Morrison paused once more before he leaned up from the holo-table. "Can you take over for a bit? I should go and speak to Winston."

Ana gave Morrison a small nod, knowing he wanted to check in with Winston about Lena. He'd seen the report of the rescue mission and knew Lena's accelerator was damaged, so he knew Winston would be preparing to recover her.

Morrison left the command centre and made his way across the base. It didn't take him long to reach his destination, most of the other troops too busy to disturb him. Most only gave him a quick salute before continuing with whatever task they were doing. At this point, it was mostly just moving supplies from one part of the base into another.

When he arrived at Winston's lab, there was no sign of the gorilla. However, there was a large panel on the floor that was open, revealing a staircase that headed down below the lab. This was where the chamber was located, out of sight so no one could mess with it. Slowly, Morrison stepped down the stairs and into the large laboratory, where Winston was currently working.

"Energy levels are at sixty two percent Winston." Athena informed him, as he typed away on a computer. "Also, you have a visitor."

Winston turned around and saw Morrison, before he turned back around and began typing again.

"Morrison."

"Is everything down here alright Winston?"

"Yes, it appears to be. I still need to run the tests before I begin." Winston explained, finishing typing before walking over to a metal table.

On the table sat a replacement coronal accelerator, which Winston proceeded to being tinkering with. He picked up a nearby screwdriver and started to open up the accelerator, checking over the internal parts before closing it back up. He then walked back to the computer and connected a cable to the accelerator, before numerous figures appeared on the computer screen.

After a few moments, Winston disconnected the device and placed it back on the table, plugging a different cable in so that the accelerator could charge. During this, Morrison remain quiet, knowing the importance of what Winston was doing. The process of rescuing Tracer was never quick. The chamber had to be tested to make sure there were no glitches and a new accelerator had to be working. Winston had since created a number of replacements for this very situation. It didn't make it any easier for him though.

"Energy levels at one hundred percent. Power supply is functioning correctly. Beginning system diagnostics."

"Thank you Athena." Winston said, turning back around to face Morrison.

"You sure you don't need any more hands down here? I can get you some help if you need it."

"No, that won't be nessesary. I've made a number of changes to this chamber since it was first built, to the point me and Athena can operate it ourselves. Though I appreciate the offer."

Winston spoke with frustration clear in his voice. He didn't intend to and he certainly wasn't frustrated with Morrison. Instead, he was frustrated with himself. He considered that he should have activated this chamber much earlier, in case this very situation happened.

"Sorry." Winston said after a short pause, knowing he'd let out his frustration on Morrison.

"It's fine, don't worry about it." Morrison replied, nodding a few times before he reluctantly changed topics. "Winston, I hate to ask this now but have background checks been done on our new recruits?"

"Actually, I have been performing checks on all new personnel commander." Athena answered. "I have not discovered anything to be concerned about. Is there anyone in particular that's concerning you?"

"No, I just wanted to be certain. With what Talon seem to be planning, I want to be sure they don't attempt to infiltrate us. Then there's Reyes..."

"What about Reyes?" Winston asked, stopping what he was doing when Morrison mentioned his name.

"Amelie informed me that he betrayed Talon in order to help her, along with Lena and Emily, escape."

"This is... unexpected..."

"Exactly. Some soldiers from Talon sided with him and I don't know what he's planning. We need to stay vigilant... I considered you needed to know but don't worry about that now, focus on getting Lena back. I'll let you get on with your work."

Ex-Talon dropship- Somewhere over Europe

The inside of the dropship was silent, none of the occupants wanting to start a conversation. Upon first inspection, anyone would say this dropship was filled with Talon operatives, on their way to their next mission. However, this was far from correct. Inside this dropship were what remained of the squads of soldiers, who'd sided with Reaper back at the Black Forest base. They'd betrayed Talon and were now loyal only to one person. No one really knew if it was true loyalty or fear that made them follow him.

At the back of this dropship stood Reaper, who was busy looking over a map of the world with the now highest ranking soldier in the dropship. The map had a large amount of writing on it, detailing all of Talon's operations known to Reaper and his forces. He was trying to find out where he should go next. Talon were up to something big and he was determined to find out what it was.

On top of that, Reaper considered he needed a base of operations, somewhere he could take inventory and organise what resources he had.

"So, how many people do we actually have?" Reaper asked, as he crossed out one possibility for a base of operations.

"It's difficult to say right now sir." The newly appointed squad commander replied. "Several bases reported operatives missing and some have made contact, asking for a rendezvous location. However, I can't really give a concrete number, or say if they've decided to side with us."

Reaper remained silent, crossing out another location on the map. This time, it was a Talon operation in Calafornia, USA. It was a plan to blackmail a wealthy individual into giving Talon money, clearly not part of Talon's master plan.

Now that he thought about it, he wasn't sure what Talon's ultimate plan was. He originally joined in order to take down Overwatch and ultimately have revenge on those who were a part of it. However, after he joined, Reaper's priorities changed and his original motives became less and less important.

First there was Widow. He was very surprised when he found Amelie after all that time, though she wasn't the same woman he knew. Despite this, he stayed true to his word and got her out, just not the way he'd planned. Then there was this business with Doomfist and Moira keeping secrets from him. He'd ended up with Talon as his enemy, though he didn't care.

As he continued to analyse the map, his attention was drawn to the bottom right.

"Australia's looking rather empty." He said aloud. "Talon didn't have anything going on there according to this."

"I thought there was a base there." One of the soldiers said, making Reaper turn to look at him.

"What type of base?"

"I'm not exactly sure if I'm honest sir, I heard it from a friend of mine who said he was stationed there. He said it was some sort of research base, though he didn't say anything specific."

Reaper turned back to the map, staring at the one county. If this base existed, it was another one of Talon's many secrets he didn't know anything about. That was enough to garner his interest. Fortunately, he knew someone in Australia who owed him a favour.

"Tell the pilot we need to head towards Australia and get the word out to anyone else who's contacted us."

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Three hours later

Widow only managed to sleep a few hours before she found herself waking up. She couldn't really sleep as she had too much on her mind. After laying in bed for a few minutes, Widow decided to go and get some food and then visit Emily and Angela in the medical bay.

She got out of bed and grabbed a quick shower, cleaning off the dirt and grime she'd yet to wash off and then changed into a short sleeved black shirt and a pair of blue jeans. She decided not to bother Sombra at this time, remembering her saying she was going to look into something, so she decided to leave her to it. Just before she left her room, Widow made a mental note to herself to take her combat outfit to Torb, so he could repair the damage and clean it up.

When she arrived in the mess hall, the building was more or less empty, with only a few agents currently present. Reinhardt, Brigitte and a few crusaders were sat at one table, while DVa was sat at another, along with the rest of her MEKA squad. One of them soon noticed her, the girl she'd taken hostage back at the MEKA base,

When the girl looked up and saw her, Widow considered she needed to speak to her and hopefully clear the air between them. As she walked over, the girl didn't take her eyes off Widow and more of the squad focused on her as she approached. This gained the attention of DVa, who turned around to see what the rest of her squad was staring at.

"Oh, hey Amelie." Hana said, as the table fell silent, the tension becoming clear.

"Bonjour..." She replied, facing Yuna before she continued. "I believe I owe you an apology."

Yuna looked at the woman in front of her, seeing that this wasn't the same person she met in Korea. She spoke much softer than she did back then and she could tell there was a hint of regret in her voice. It seemed as if Mercy was telling the truth.

"I get it, you needed to get into the quarters and I was just the unfortunate person who you saw first."

"More or less." Widow replied, before holding her hand out. "I am sorry for how I treated you."

Yuna hesitantly took Widow's hand and shook it, the tension on the table reducing as she did. After shaking hands for a few moments, Widow gave Yuna a small smile, before heading towards the kitchen.

"See, I told you she wasn't that bad." Hana said to the rest of the MEKA squad.

"Yeah... She doesn't seem too bad." Yuna added, before the group returned to their earlier conversation.

One quick sandwich later, Widow made her way to the medical bay. When she arrived, she found Angela sitting at her desk talking with Fareeha, who was sitting on the desk. However, Widow quickly noticed that Emily was nowhere to be seen.

"Hello Amelie." Angela said, smiling as Widow approached the desk. "Is everything okay?"

"Oui, thank you." Widow looked around, still not able to see Emily. "Where's Emily?"

"She woke up not too long ago and said she wanted to grab a shower. Don't worry, she's perfectly okay." Angela answered, reassuring Widow. Despite this, Angela could tell something else was on Widow's mind. "Are you sure you're okay Amelie? You look like something is troubling you."

Widow looked away and sighed, thinking over the situation. Angela wasn't exactly wrong, there was something that was bothering her. Widow knew she wanted to speak to Sombra and tell her about her feelings, yet she still had concerns in the back of her head. In the end, Widow admited she needed to speak to someone and Angela seemed like the right person.

"Can I speak to you about something... in private?"

"Of course."

Fareeha considered this was important and decided to leave, giving Angela a quick kiss before heading out, closing the door behind her. After she'd left, Widow took a seat in front of Angela's desk and the doctor leaned forward.

"What's on your mind Amelie?"

Widow took a breath, her eyes wandering down to her hands. "Well... since I've been here, I've developed... feelings for someone."

"I see. Feelings for a certain hacker by any chance?"

Widow looked straight up at Angela. "How did you..?"

"Educated guess and who else could it be? I'm guessing you're feeling conflicted about this?"

"Oui... I spoke to Lena some time ago and she convinced me that I should talk to Sombra about this... Though I can't help but feel guilty."

"Guilty?" It took Angela a moment before she realised what she meant. "Gerard?"

Widow nodded gently. "I know he died a long time ago, yet I can't help but think I'm doing something wrong, or that I'll ruin my friendship with Sombra..."

Widow stopped talking and Angela offered her hands, a gesture Widow accepted. "It's perfectly natural to feel like this. You're right that Gerard died a long time ago but you're not in any way doing anything wrong. He wouldn't want you to stay stuck in the past, feeling guilty. He'd want you to be happy Amelie. However, if you're still grieving..."

"That's the thing... I feel like I've had years to grieve. When my memories returned, all my emotions came flooding back... but before that happened, I think I still grieved, even after Talon brainwashed me... I always visited Gerard's grave every Christmas... I don't even know why I did... it just felt right."

"Talon never questioned it?"

"They didn't know. They gave me a lot of freedom, so why would they?"

Angela thought back to Widow's medical files. "If I had to guess, I think that was one of those cracks in your conditioning. It was only small, so no one noticed but it was enough that it made you want to visit his grave. I suspect this is why you feel like you've already grieved for him. That crack allowed you to grieve without you even knowing about it."

Widow nodded again, understanding what Angela was saying.

"As for you feelings for Sombra, you should talk to her when you feel ready. You two appear to be good friends and she clearly cares about you, so I'm sure she'll understand."

"Oui... Now doesn't feel like the right time but I will... Thank you for listening Angela."

"Happy to help."

Just as the two finished their conversation, Emily walked in, wearing a new pair of clothes that she retrieved from Lena's quarters. Emily had stayed over at the watchpoint with Lena a few times before, one example being when they visited Winston for Christmas, so she fortunately had a few items of clothing already here. After showering and changing out of her dirty clothing, she'd made her way back to the medical bay, with Athena guiding her though the base.

Angela stood up and walked over to Emily. "Hey Emily. Are you feeling any better?"

"A little bit, thanks." Emily replied, as Widow walked over and joined them. "Hey Amelie."

"Bonjour."

"I know I've already said this but thanks... You know, for keeping me safe. I was a bit emotional at the time..."

"You don't have to explain. I made a promise to keep you safe and I kept it."

Emily stepped forward and offered a hug, a gesture Widow gladly accepted. Emily was on good terms with the agents Lena was close friends with, so she hoped to get to know Widow better in the future.

"Excuse me, Doctor Ziegler." Athena announced, as Emily and Widow separated. "We're ready to begin."

"Thank you Athena." She looked towards Emily and gave her a reassuring smile, before turning to Widow. "You're welcome to come as well, if you'd like."

"Won't I be intruding?"

"Not at all. Lena trusted you to look after Emily, that means she trusts you. I'm sure she won't mind you being there."

Winston's lab

Winston was still in the lower level of his lab, doing his final preparations before the chamber was activated. There was a brand new accelerator ready, glowing brightly as it sat on the metal table and the chamber was humming as it sat on standby, waiting for the command to activate it.

Winston sat at the computer, looking over the figures the screen was throwing up. Everything seemed to be in order, yet Winston was always ready for anything when using this chamber.

After a few minutes, Winston heard approaching footsteps and turned around, expecting to see Angela and Emily. However, he was slightly surprised when he saw Widow with them.

"Amelie. I wasn't expecting to see you."

"Angela said I could come along. I hope I'm not intruding."

"Not at all Amelie. I'm sure Lena will be glad to see you." Winston turned back around and began typing, pausing for a moment when he saw Emily walk up to the glass window on the front of the chamber. Emily briefly turned to face him, nodding twice before turning back to the chamber. Winston understood and activated the chamber, filling the lab with noise, as it powered up.

"Chamber fully online." Athena said, taking command over the chamber. "Scanning... Target acquired, locking on... Locked on. Commencing retrieval in three... two... one..."

The lights began to flicker across the entire base, as the chamber ate up large amounts of power. While this made Widow look up to the ceiling, Emily didn't move, looking straight into the chamber. Eventually, the lights in the lab cut out completely and the emergency lighting took their place.

"Is it meant to do this?" Widow asked, as Winston began typing away again.

"This takes an incredible amount of power to do." Winston explained. "But we're fine, don't worry."

Just then, something began appearing in the chamber. Or rather, someone."

"I can see her!" Emily shouted above the noise, pressing her hands agaisnt the glass.

"Stabilising." The chamber whired louder, before it finally began to power down, the lights returning to normal as it did so. "Retrieval complete, target stable." Athena announced.

Winston patted the top of the computer. "Thank you Athena."

"I will keep the chamber active until you say otherwise. Returning watchpoint Gibraltar to normal power levels."

The door to the chamber unlocked and Emily ran to it, Winston picking up the accelerator and running over to join her. He opened the large door and Emily shot inside, crouching down next to Lena, who was curled up into a ball.

"Lena?"

She didn't respond, instead she remained curled up and began muttering to herself.

"Lena, it's me Emily."

This time Lena responded. "No. No, you're not real. You're just my imagination, playing tricks on me."

Emily knew how disappearing affected Lena, though she'd never seen her like this before. She gently placed her hand on Lena's arm and softly spoke to her again.

"Lena, please look at me."

This time she got a response. Lena gently lifted her head, looking straight at Emily.

"Emily..? Is it really you?"

Emily placed her hand on the side of Lena's face and looked straight into her girlfriends eyes.

"Yes, it's me Lena. It's really me."

Slowly, Lena moved her arm, placing her own hand on the side of Emily's face. She expected Emily to just be a vision and that she'd disappear when she needed someone the most. Thankfully, she was proven wrong.

"Emily... Oh my god, you're okay." Lena's eyes began to water. She was only gone a short time but it felt like an eternity. Seeing Emily safe was like a dream come true.

Emily gave Lena a smile and sat herself down. "Come here you."

Lena wrapped her arms around Emily and tightly hugged her as she began crying. Emily felt a few tears of her own escape, as Lena placed her head on her shoulder.

"It's okay Lena. You're home."

Winston remained at the door of the chamber, not wanting to interrupt, while Angela and Widow remained outside, knowing Emily was the right person to help Lena right now. After a few minutes, Lena leaned back, wiped her eyes and looked up at Winston.

"Hey big guy. Did I ever tell you I hate this place?" She said, half heartedly.

Winston chuckled. "Yeah, I can see why."

Lena and Emily stood up, walking over to the gorilla. Lena quickly wrapped her arms around Winston, resting her head on his chest. After a quick hug, Winston passed Lena her new accelerator, though she decided to leave it off for now, instead carrying it with her.

The three now stepped out of the chamber, Lena keeping one arm wrapped around Emily. When she saw Angela and Widow, a small smile appeared across her face.

"Hey you two." She said, still not her normal cheery self. "I'm guessing you want me to come to the med bay Ang?"

"If that's alright with you?"

Lena nodded. "Yeah... I think that's a good idea."

Angel walked over and offered to take the accelerator for Lena, which she agreed to and then began to lead them towards the medical bay. After a few steps, Lena stopped in front of Widow.

"Hey Amelie. Thanks for looking after my girl."

Widow smiled at Lena. "Well, I think I owe you a few favours."

Lena chuckled before she stepped forward and hugged Widow.

"Would you like me to get you and Emily some food? I think you two need some time together."

"Yeah... Yeah I'd like that... One more thing. Ross... did he..?"

Widow lowered her head. "I'm sorry... There was nothing I could do."

Lena sighed. "I know." She hugged Widow again before she wrapped her arm back around Emily and began the walk to the medical lab. A few moments later, Widow felt a large hand on her right shoulder. She looked to her left and saw Winston standing next to her.

"Thank you Amelie, for being here for her."

"As I said, I owed her. Besides, she's my friend. That's what friends do."

Medical bay- 15 minutes later

After they reached the medical bay, Angela began her checks for Lena and was happy that she had no major injuries. During this time, Widow had appeared with two meals and placed them on Angela's desk, before taking her leave.

Once Angela completed her assessment of Lena, they agreed that she should have some one to one sessions over the next few days and then Angela would decide how best to proceed. However, she still wanted to keep an eye on Lena for at least one night and had asked her to remain in the medical bay. Lena said she would, as long as Emily could stay with her. Angela agreed, seeing no harm in this and hoping that some time together would help them.

The two then ate their meals, which were two bowls of freshly made pasta in a tomato sauce and a few pieces of bread to go with it. Once they'd eaten, Lena and Emily lay back on the bed they were sitting on, Emily wrapping her arm around Lena.

"I'm sorry Em." Lena eventually said. "I'm sorry for everything you've been put through."

"I don't blame you Lena..." Emily began, though she was cut off before she could finish.

"But you never should have been put in this situation... I put you in danger and I've been so selfish..."

"No you haven't Lena." Emily replied, sitting herself up and facing Lena. "I know what your doing. You're hurting and blaming yourself for what happened. None of this was your fault and I don't blame you at all. You've been a hero to some many people. Please, don't shut me out. Let me be the hero you need."

A few tears escaped Lena's eyes again. "I don't deserve you."

"Yeah you do." Emily said, as she lay back down and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. "I love you Lena."

"I love you too Em."

 _Authors note_

 _Hey everyone._

 _Sorry that this chapter took a while to get out. I've not had as much chance to write recently._ _In any case, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you all in the next one :)_


	32. Revealed Feelings

**Revealed Feelings**

 _Tracer stood in a darkened cell, standing over a red headed woman, who was chained to the wall. Behind Lena stood Moira, who was holding a notepad in one hand and a pen in the other. She was taking notes, seeing how well her newest accomplishment was going._

 _Lena knew who the red headed woman was. It was Emily, the woman who she loved with all her heart. Yet this wasn't Lena anymore. Her hair was dark black, her eyes were golden and her accelerator glowed a dark shade of red. She'd been twisted and turned into a monster, no longer able to feel any emotion._

 _Despite this, Lena was still there, in her subconscious, almost screaming at herself to stop. She didn't have any control though and could only watch as she knelt down and hit Emily's face, adding to the endless cuts and bruises she had._

 _"You know me Lena..." Emily began, trying to get through to her. "You'd never hurt me willingly."_

 _"Lena is no more." Moira replied, smirking as Tracer hit Emily once again._

 _"You're wrong... I know she's still in there..."_

 _"What an interesting hypothesis. Shall we test it?" Moira now spoke directly to Tracer. "Kill her."_

 _Tracer pulled out one of her pulse pistols, aiming it straight at Emily's head, all while Lena begged herself not to listen._

 _Emily looked straight up at Tracer. "You know me Lena... I love you."_

 _Tracer hesitated for a second, before slapping Emily with the side of her pistol. She then aimed her weapon and pressed it against Emily's head._

 _"I don't know you, Lena did. You're my mission."_

 _Emily looked back up at Tracer. "Then finish it... because I'm with you till the end of the line... Just remember that I will always love you... and I forgive you."_

 _Tracer remained silent, while Emily closed her eyes, ready for what happened next. Lena pleaded with herself, begging herself to listen._

 _But it fell on deaf ears._

 _"Kill her Tracer."_

 _She pulled the trigger._

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Medical bay

Lena shot up out of her nightmare, taking a deep breath of air as she did so. She looked around the room and breathed heavily, as she quickly realised she was in the medical bay. Her accelerator was sat next to the bed and Lena was relieved to see it glowing its normal blue colour. Her breathing began to slow down, just before a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her.

"Bad dream?"

Lena smiled weakly at Emily, leaning back into the arms of her girlfriend.

"Yeah... bad dream."

"Want to talk about it?"

Lena shook her head, looking back towards her accelerator. "Not really."

Emily noticed Lena staring at her accelerator and formed a few ideas what the dream could have been. She gently leaned herself and Lena back down and turned to face her girlfriend.

"Don't let it get to you Lena. It wasn't real."

"I know..." Lena replied, as she wrapped her arms tightly around Emily. Even though she knew it wasn't real, the dream had still shaken her.

"Do you want me to get you anything?" Emily asked.

"No... just... stay here, please."

Lena's armed tightened against Emily ever so slightly and Emily knew that whatever the dream was had scared her.

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Two days later

For the next two days, life at the watchpoint was relatively clam. Guards were assigned their posts and began patrolling the base. Squads of soldiers were created and began training together, keeping their skills sharp. The engineers checked over the dropships and equipment, Torbjorn monitoring their progress, while Angela finally received some help in the medical bay.

While the base came back to life, the agents continued their daily routine. The agents had much more flexibility when it came to their daily routines and until Morrison said otherwise, no one planned to change it. For the most part, the agents continued with their original activities.

There was still no decision on the Petras Act, the vote being delayed once again. Frankly, everyone at the watchpoint knew it was just to stall for time. Thankfully, a vote was called for today and there seemed to be no intention to stop it this time. The decision on the future of Overwatch would happen today. Until that happened, it was business as usual.

It was still early in the morning when Widow walked into the mess hall. Only a few agents were up, yet the hall was relatively full. Widow looked up at a clock, which hung on the wall to the left of the door and saw the time was 7:15, so she wasn't too surprised to see this many soldiers in here.

Widow continued to look around the hall and spotted McCree, who had a cup of coffee in his hand and was sat with Reinhardt, who had nothing more than an empty plate in front of him. As they were the only two people she recognised, she walked over and sat down next to them, paying little attention to the eyes that followed her across the room.

"Good morning Amelie." Reinhardt said, perhaps a little louder than he needed to. "I didn't expect you to be up so early."

"I couldn't really sleep." Widow replied, glaring over to a table full of soldiers. Most of the occupants were watching her, not sure what to make of their new ally. When she looked at them, the table quickly turned back around.

"This is getting annoying." Widow muttered, as she turned back around, clearly frustrated and uncomfortable with the attention she was getting. Thankfully, McCree had noticed this and decided to act.

"Hey!" McCree called out, gaining the attention of the table of soldiers, as well as most of the hall. "Ain't anyone told you it's rude to stare at a lady?"

The room began to quieten down, with only a few people muttering towards the back. Those mutters soon died down as well, as McCree continued.

"I'm getting the feeling some of you don't exactly trust Amelie. To be honest, I can't say I blame you. I was the same way at first. However, I'm setting the record straight. Amelie is not part of Talon. She's Overwatch through and through. She's the one who kept Tracer going while they were captured and she's the one who got her girlfriend back to us in one piece. They trusted her with their lives and I trust her with mine. So if any of you have a problem with her being here, I suggest you take it up with the commander. Is that clear?"

The soldiers looked around at each other, before they all nodded in agreement. Even if they wanted to, not one person voiced any arguments.

"Good. Now, go back to whatever you were doing."

The soldiers quickly did just that and the mess hall returned to normal. Widow looked around the room before turning back to McCree.

"Thank you Jesse... I understand why they're acting so cautious around me... but I just want to be accepted."

"They will, just give it time. I had the same treatment when I first arrived. Former deadlock gang member? Yeah, like people would trust me the second they saw me."

"You said you couldn't sleep." Reinhardt now said, as McCree took a drink of his coffee. "Is everything okay."

"Oui, thank you." Widow replied. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"Anything you want to talk about?" McCree asked, Reinhardt nodding in agreement.

"Thank you for the offer but non. No offence but it's not something I want to talk to just anyone about."

"None taken." McCree said, finishing the small amount of coffee he had left. "I'm gonna go grab another drink. Either of you want anything?"

Reinhardt declined the offer, saying he was about to head out in a few minutes. Widow on the other hand asked for a coffee, informing McCree how she liked it.

When McCree retuned with her drink, Widow watched the rest of the room, observing the soldiers going about their day to day activities. Reinhardt soon departed, saying that he was going to train with Brigitte. This left McCree and Widow to watch the room.

McCree lit a cigar as the two exchanged conversation. During this, numerous people entered and left the mess hall, all leaving the two agents alone. Eventually, DVa and Lucio entered and with the rest of the hall relatively full, decided to sit down at the table.

"Hey you two." Lucio said, full of energy.

"Mornin." McCree replied, Widow nodding at the two agents as they sat down.

"Mind if I put on some music?" Lucio askedz

"Feel free. So long as it's not heavy metal. I don't think I'd survive that this early."

There was a small chuckled across the table, before Lucio began playing some of his music, keeping the volume low due to the time.

After a short while, Widow looked up towards the door and saw Emily entering alone. A few soldiers stepped aside and saluted, though Emily quickly told them that there was no need.

"Why are they saluting Emily?" Widow asked McCree, suspecting he might know.

"Well, word's spread and a lot of people know who she is. The fact she's Lena's girlfriend practically makes her an honorary agent."

As Emily walked further inside, she caught sight of Widow and walked over.

"Howdy Em." McCree said on behalf of the table, tipping his hat as he did so.

"Hey... McCree right?" Emily asked, remembering the description of him from one of Lena's stories.

"That's correct, though feel free to call me Jesse."

"How is Lena?" Widow asked, taking note of her absence.

"She's doing okay. She's currently speaking with Angela so I said I'd come here and bring us some breakfast." Emily paused for a moment, before she continued. "I am a little worried about her though..."

"How come?"

Emily looked around the table, deciding that she didn't want everyone present to know. She knew Widow understood the situation better than most and she trusted her, so she signalled her to follow her to the edge of the room.

"Lena's been having nightmares the past few days." Emily explained. "It's happened before and she usually talks to me about it. Recently though, she's not been willing to do that. It's worrying me."

"Why do you think she won't talk about them?"

"If I had to take a guess, it's because they're about me... At first I thought it was her accelerator but after thinking about it, I can see her keeping something like that to herself, so that she doesn't worry me or scare me."

Widow gave Emily a quick nod, before coming up with an idea.

"Maybe I should talk to her?" Widow suggested. "She might open up to me about it, since I was there too."

"If you're sure you don't mind then it might help." Emily paused again and Widow picked up quickly that something else was bothering her.

"What else is on your mind?"

Emily sighed. "I've been wondering if I should do something for Lena and try to take her mind off everything that's happened... I'm just not sure what."

"That sounds like a good idea." Widow said. "Maybe speak to Angela or Winston about it. They might have a better idea with what you could do."

Emily nodded. "Yeah, I'll do that. Thanks Amelie."

"Not a problem."

Emily gave Widow a quick hug, before she headed towards the kitchen, finding some food for herself and Lena. Widow meanwhile headed back to the table, sitting herself down just as Sombra entered the room. She had a few glances from a couple of soldiers as she walked over, yet nowhere near as many as Widow had.

"Hey." Sombra said, announcing her presence to the other agents on the table.

"Howdy." McCree replied, tipping his hat as Sombra sat down. DVa and Lucio looked up from their conversation and waved, before beginning to talk to themselves again. Widow meanwhile noticed Sombra had a concerned look and considered she'd found out something bad.

"What's wrong." Widow asked softly.

"I've been looking over the files I had from Talon, as well as keeping an eye out for anything relating to Talon. I managed to intercept a message and I found something that's really got me worried." Sombra explained, gaining the attention of McCree in the process.

"How bad we talkin?" He asked, finding a new cigar from his pocket.

"Well, I found some talk about a Talon operative called Sigma..."

"Sigma?" Widow interrupted, not expecting to hear that name. "I thought he was..."

"Taken off active duty? Yeah, he was. Seems like Talon's about to put him back into the field."

"Great." Widow sarcastically replied. "Just who we want to fight."

"Hold up. I ain't ever heard of anyone called Sigma. Who the hell is he?" McCree asked, not following the two former Talon agents.

"He's a scientist, or was a scientist." Sombra explained. "He did an experiment and it went very wrong. He ended up gaining the ability to control gravity... but he lost his mind in the process. Talon found out about him and decided to 'recruit' him."

"They manipulated him." Widow added. "Twisted him into a living weapon while using his research for their own gain."

Widow stopped, allowing Sombra to continue. "Some time ago, Talon took him off frontline duty, though I'm not exactly sure why. His files never said anything other that he was taken of active duty. Considering how unstable he can be, I just assumed something went wrong and they locked him away."

McCree thought over this for a second. "Seems there's no end to Talon's surprises. You probably should tell the commander about this. If this Sigma's as bad as you say, then he needs to know."

Sombra nodded. "Yeah, I was planning to go find him or Winston later. I wanted to grab something to eat first."

"Seems like a good idea." Widow joked, before standing to head towards the kitchen herself. "Want me to grab you something?"

"Sure. I'll have some toast, thanks."

Widow walked into the kitchen and made Sombra and herself two rounds of toast each, keeping herself out of the way of the few cooks currently making food for the other staff members. The agents were able to enter the kitchen as much as they wanted, so the cooks didn't pay Widow too much mind.

Once the toast was made, Widow headed back to the table, placing the two plates down and sitting back down. As the two began to eat, McCree decided it was time to head out, tipping his hat at the others at the table before leaving. DVa and Lucio kept to themselves afterwards, so Widow and Sombra spoke to each other, talking about various different topics.

After eating, the two left the mess hall, stepping outside into the warm sunshine. Sombra opened up her computer, checking over a few of her notes before closing it and letting out a breath.

"Guess I'll go find Morrison, or failing that Winston. See you later."

Just before Sombra walked away, Widow stopped her.

"Sombra?"

"Hmm?"

"I going to check in on Lena today but afterwards, could I speak to you... in private?"

Sombra gave Widow a welcoming smile. "Of course you can. Once you're ready, come find me."

Lena's quarters

Mercy was currently sat with Lena on the edge of her bed, finishing up their one to one session for today. It was an informal meeting, as Angela considered that it would be best. Unlike their previous sessions however, this one was much earlier.

Shortly after Lena had woken up, she'd gotten dressed into a pair of blue leggings, similar to her orange ones and a white t-shirt, leaving her jacket hung up on a coat hanger. Then she asked Athena to contact Angela, wanting to get her session out of the way early.

Thankfully, Angela didn't believe that Lena needed any extra support. There was no evidence she was suffering with any kind of depression or PTSD. Yet this didn't stop her from worrying.

"Have you got everything you needed Ang?" Lena asked, shorty after Angela finished writing on a notepad.

"This isn't about what I need Lena." Angela replied softly. "I want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine Ang. Don't worry."

Angela knew something was up with Lena. She was good at hiding when something was bothering her, or she believed she was, yet Angela had learned the telltale signs. However, she also knew that Lena wouldn't tell her about it right now. So, she opted to let Lena open up at her own pace. Hopefully, she'd speak to Emily or someone else about it.

"Okay Lena. I'd like to have a few more sessions with you, if that's okay?"

"Yeah, that's okay."

Angela placed a hand over Lena's and gave her a reassuring smile. Lena couldn't help but smile ever so slightly back.

"I'm okay Ang, trust me. You know what it's like... I disappear and I'm not the same person for a few days... It'll pass, don't worry."

At this point, Angela placed an arm around the Brit. "Lena, I'm saying this as your friend, not your doctor. Please, don't bottle all this up and suffer alone. Talk to someone about this. If you ever want to talk things through with me, just ask okay?"

Lena looked to the side of the room, nodding weakly before the door to the room opened and Emily stepped inside. She had two bowls with her, along with a box of cereal and a small bottle of milk.

"Oh, sorry, I thought you would be finished by now."

"Don't worry Emily, you're not interrupting. We just did." Angela said, as she stood up and headed for the door. After saying her goodbyes, she left the two alone.

Emily made both of them a bowl of cereal and sat down with Lena, passing one over to her. Lena ate quicker than Emily and finished first. After they'd eaten, Lena found herself cuddling up to Emily, resting her own head against Emily's.

A short time passed before there was a knock at the door. Lena was so lost in thought that it actually made her jump. After the initially shock passed, she stood up and opened the door, slightly surprised when she saw Widow waiting outside.

"Oh, hey Amelie. What's up?" Lena asked, making out that there was nothing the matter.

"I was wondering if I could have a word with you?"

"Um, yeah sure." Lena went to turn to Emily, yet she'd already stood and had walked over.

"I'll give you two some space." She said, giving Lena a kiss before leaving the room. As she left, Emily smiled at Widow, silently saying thank you as she passed her. Once outside, Emily decided to head towards the lab, hoping she could talk to Winston.

Meanwhile, Widow stepped inside Lena's quarters and quickly noticed that she wasn't her normal self. The first sign was that Lena's hair was left flat, instead of being its normal spiky self. The second was how Lena was acting. On the surface she appeared to still be her normal, cheerful self. However, Widow could tell this was slightly forced and that Lena was hiding the fact something was on her mind.

"So, what's up Amelie?" Lena asked, after closing the door to her room.

"Actually, I wanted to ask how you were?"

"Me? I'm doing okay thanks." Lena answered, trying her best to avoid the topic. Widow meanwhile wasn't anywhere near convinced and raised an eyebrow at the Brit.

"You are not okay Lena. I can tell something is wrong, that you're forcing yourself to act cheerful."

Lena went to say otherwise, before lowering her head and sighing. "Is it really that obvious?"

"If someone didn't know you, probably not. Otherwise, it's obvious."

Lena chuckled slightly, before sighing again. "Yeah, there's something bothering me. I just... I haven't really wanted to talk about it..."

"What about now?"

Lena remained silent for a moment, thinking over what Angela had said earlier. She was right, she'd been bottling up everything since she'd reappeared. Lena admitted that she needed to talk to someone, so maybe Widow was the right person.

"I think... I think I'm ready to talk."

Widow smiled, sitting herself down on Lena's bed, as there were a lack of chairs in the room and patted next to her. Lena slowly walked over and sat next to her, letting it another breath before she began.

"Okay... so since I came back from being a ghost, I've been having nightmares... I've had this before, after I disappeared the last two times. This time though... this time they're different..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I've had nightmares before, they're usually about me disappearing and being alone... this time though... it was about Emily... In this dream, Talon had turned me into a monster and I couldn't control what I was doing. It was like I was watching a video. I could scream and shout all I wanted but no one listened to me. They ordered me to kill Emily and I... I couldn't stop myself..."

Lena broke down into tears and grabbed ahold of Widow. Now it started to make sense to her why Lena wasn't talking to anyone. She was frightened of the reaction she'd get.

"You're not talking to anyone because you're worried it'll scare Emily, aren't you?"

Lena nodded and wiped away some of her tears. "Yeah... After everything that's happened and everything she went through... I didn't want her to be overwhelmed with my problems... I didn't want to appear selfish."

A few more tears escaped Lena's eyes and widow found herself wrapping an arm around her. "Lena, you're not selfish. You're the least selfish person I've ever met. Emily's worried about you and she wouldn't be overwhelmed if you opened up to her about this. She loves you Lena and she wants to help you, wants to be there for you. Don't let this drive a wedge between you two."

"Yeah... you're right." Lena eventually said. "I need to talk to her about this. Thanks Amelie... you know, for listening. Just talking it through with someone has helped clear my mind a little."

"It's not a problem Lena." Widow said, smiling again before she went to stand up. However, she was stopped by Lena, who placed a hand on her arm.

"Before you go, mind if I'm a bit nosy?" She asked, her usual self reappearing slightly as she spoke.

"If you must be."

"Have you spoken to Sombra yet?"

"No, not yet... It didn't feel like it was the right time to do so." Widow answered, knowing what Lena really meant.

"Yeah, that's fair." Lena replied, nodding her head before she continued. "What about now?"

"I... I was thinking of talking to her later... I'm just not sure what I should say."

"Just say how you feel Amelie. Tell her that you love spending time with her and that you're attracted to her. Whatever feels right at the time."

Widow sat still for a moment, going over what she should say in her head. After a few moments, Widow had a few brief ideas and nodded her head.

"Okay. I'll do just that. Thank you Lena."

"Not a problem... and Amelie... I know I've already said this but seriously, thanks for listening. I don't really open up about things like my nightmares so easily... Not too sure why I did so quickly if I'm honest."

"Maybe it because I was with you back at Talon?" Widow suggested, considering that was something Angela would say. "That, or my irresistible charm."

Lena chuckled at the lighthearted joke. "Yeah, it could be that. Whatever the reason was, I was worried about telling anyone about it and worried about how Emily would react..."

"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

"I can't imagine my life without her. Even when I'm at my lowest point, she's always there, right besides me, ready to pick me back up. She completes me."

Winston's lab

While Lena and Widow were talking, Emily made her way to Winston's lab, passing by the cliff where Zenyatta, Genji and Hanzo were meditating. Genji bowed his head as he noticed her pass by and she waved back. She hadn't really spoken to any of them since she'd arrived but they seemed nice enough, though if she was honest, she still wasn't too sure about Hanzo.

When she entered the lab, she was soon greeted by Winston, after Athena informed him he had a visitor. The gorilla walked down from the upper levels and smiled when he saw Emily.

"Hello Emily, how are you?"

"I'm alright thanks. Do you have a minute to talk?"

"Of course."

Emily stepped further inside, stopping next to the holographic table and leaning against it. The picture on the table deactivated shortly afterwards, just as Winston walked over next to Emily.

"Angela kept me informed how you and Lena were doing. She said you appear to be taking everything okay, all things considered."

"If I'm honest, Talon didn't really treat me that bad, minus the initial torture they did to me... After Lena and Amelie agreed to work with them, Talon didn't do anything to hurt me. After all the stories Lena told me, seeing them act like that... it made it more scary. I didn't buy the nice guy act for one second. I knew they'd kill me without a second thought if they wanted to."

"That's what they do. They manipulate people any way they can..." Winston paused, taking off his glasses and cleaning them before placing them back on. "I guess this wasn't the reason you came to talk to me?"

"It's about Lena."

"Is everything okay between you two? I can understand if this has..."

"No, god no, nothing like that." Emily said, realising what Winston meant. "I'm just worried about her. I haven't seen her like this since... since the last time she disappeared. Angela said she wasn't suffering from anything serious so that's something at least. I just don't like seeing her like this. So, I want thinking about doing something to help cheer her up and take her mind off everything that's happened."

"That sounds like a good idea." Winston said, understanding what Emily was thinking. "Have any ideas."

"Well, I thought about it and I have one... but it may sound a little cheesy... When me and Lena first started dating, we went to a nightclub in London. It played a lot of older music, from the 80s and the 90s..."

"So, you want to recreate that here and remind Lena of that date?"

"Yeah. Like I said, it probably sounds kinda cheesy..."

"No it doesn't. It actually sounds like a good idea. I'm just not too sure where you could do it."

"Could I make a suggestion?" Athena asked, her logo appearing on the holographic table as she entered the conversation.

"Sure. Have any ideas?" Emily asked, suspecting the AI had a solution.

"There is currently a recreational lounge for the agents not currently in use. It has soundproofing and should be large enough for your purpose."

As Athena spoke, an image of the room appear on the table, as well as a blueprint of the base, with the room itself highlighted to mark its location.

"That would work." Emily said, as she looked over the images on the table. The room was perfect for what she needed. Now all she needed was the music. Fortunately, Overwatch has their own resident DJ. "Any chance you could tell Lucio I need to speak to him?"

"Certainly." Athena answered. "I will ask him to make his way here for you."

While they waited, Emily asked Winston for a notepad, which he found with little difficulty and she began writing down a list. After a few minutes, Lucio strolled into the lab, taking off his headphones as he did so.

"Hey Emily." Lucio said. Walking over to Emily and Winston. "Athena said you wanted to speak to me. What's up?"

"Hey Lucio. I was wondering if I could ask a favour?"

"Sure. What you need?"

"Well, I wanted to do something for Lena, help take her mind off everything. I thought of recreating one of our earlier dates where we went to a nightclub, so I need a DJ..."

"Say no more, I'll be happy to help." Lucio answered, not needing to hear anymore. "What sort of music are you after."

"Well, the club played a lot of stuff from the 80s and 90s."

"Old school, I like it. Anything in particular you want."

"Actually, there were a couple of songs I'd like." Emily said, passing over the notepad to Lucio. He read over the list, seeing what tracks Emily wanted. Not everything was from the 80s or 90s, with a couple of tracks being a few years earlier, yet this wouldn't be a problem.

"Yeah, I can get these for you. Give me a couple hours to get everything ready music wise and I'm good to go."

"That's great. Thanks Lucio."

The three talked for a short while longer, working out the details for the mock nightclub. Eventually, Winston said that he'd set everything up, with Lucio's help of course. Emily went to object and say that she would help, yet Winston convinced her otherwise.

"Don't worry Emily, we'll sort it."

"Are you sure. I feel a little guilty making you do all the work when it was my idea."

"Seriously, I don't mind." Winston reassured. "I could do with a break from my work anyway. Go and spend some time with Lena. I think she needs you right now."

Emily gave in, realising she wouldn't win and thanked Winston, hugging him before heading back towards Lena's quarters. When she arrived, the door was still closed, so she gently knocked.

"Come in."

Emily gently opened the door, being greeted with a smiling Lena.

"Hey luv."

"Hey. You seem a bit more cheerful." Emily said, as she closed the door behind her. "Feeling a bit better?"

"Yeah, I am thanks. Amelie and I had a good talk and she said a couple things I needed to hear... Em, I'm ready to talk."

At this point, Emily had walked over and sat down next to Lena. "You mean about your nightmares?"

Lena nodded.

"Are you sure? You don't have to feel obligated to do so."

"I'm sure. I think you need to know."

With that, Lena and Emily moved so that they were sitting facing each other before Lena began. She made sure not to miss any details, telling Emily everything about her dreams, along with why she was reluctant to tell anyone. Emily didn't interrupt once, letting Lena say everything she needed to in her own time. Once she finished, Lena leaned forward and hugged Emily tightly.

"I'm sorry Em... I'm sorry it took so long for me to open up."

"It's okay Lena. Thank you for telling me."

"You're not mad?"

"How could I be? You were worried about me and didn't want to hurt me. I'll never be mad at you for that."

The two hugged for a short while longer, before they leaned back, looking into each others eyes.

"I love you Lena. Remember that whatever happens, that will never change. Don't worry about the nightmares. They'll pass and they will not come true."

"I know... I love you too Em."

The two leaned in and kissed, their lips parting only when they needed air. They kept their heads pressed together, their eyes locked with each other. Eventually, Emily was the one who spoke up.

"How about we go out and get something for lunch?"

Lena smiled. "Yeah. I'd love to. Just, give me a minute."

The two stood up and Lena grabbed her jacket, putting it on. She then blinked into the bathroom, finding some hair gel and spiking up her hair. She blinked out shortly after a minute, stopping right in front of Emily.

"Okay, I'm ready."

Emily couldn't help but laugh. "Never change Lena."

"Not planning on it. Athena, could you tell Winston that we're heading out for a bit? Just in case someone wants us."

"Of course Lena. Have a good time."

"Thanks."

Lena opened the door for Emily, kissing her cheek as she passed her. Once she closed the door, Lena wrapped an arm around Emily and the two headed off towards the town, intending to spend some time together away from the base.

Sombra's quarters- One hour later

Sombra entered her room and beelined to her bed, laying herself down and letting out a deep breath. She'd just finished speaking with Morrison and Ana about Sigma, though Ana seemed to be the one who'd listened more. She understood why though. Morrison was focused on the UN and the upcoming decision regarding the Petras Act. Even Sombra was keeping an eye on it, knowing how important it was. However, she couldn't help but think there was something else that had put Morrison on edge.

As she lay staring up at the ceiling, Sombra couldn't help but wonder how many more threats Talon had hidden away. Sigma was just one of a number of tricks Talon had and even she didn't know how many more cards Talon held.

On top of that there was Reaper. Sombra didn't know where she stood with him anymore, especially since the last time they met, he held a gun at her head. She was struggling to find any information about his whereabouts, yet she half expected this. Reyes wasn't exactly going to let himself be found. He was too smart to do that. Instead, he'd stay in the shadows and buy his time. Then, once he'd built up his strength, he would strike. She just worried about how he'd do this. A rogue Reaper with no allegiance to anyone was a very dangerous man.

Eventually, Sombra was brought out of her thoughts and back into the real world, as someone lightly knocked on her door. She stood herself up and walked over to the door. When she opened it, she was glad to see Widow on the other side.

"Hey Amelie."

"Bonjour. Do you have a moment?"

"Sure, come in."

Widow stepped inside and Sombra closed the door.

"Do you want to sit down?" Sombra asked, motioning over to a small table along with two chairs.

"Oui, thank you."

Once the two had sat down, Sombra spoke up again.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

Widow struggled to answer at first. She'd walked into the room believing she had an idea what to say but now she was sat in front of Sombra, all her ideas seemed to vanish.

"I... it's difficult to explain." She eventually managed to say, avoiding eye contact with the hacker as best as possible. In response, Sombra took one of Widow's hands and held it.

"Hey, whatever it is you can tell me. That's what I'm here for."

Widow took a deep breath. "Okay... I wanted to talk to you about... about how I feel... Recently I've developed certain... feelings towards someone..."

"Okay, what sort of feelings?"

Widow struggled once again, before she finally answered. "Romantic feelings."

Sombra nodded. "Okay. I'm guessing you're struggling to work out how to tell this person about these feelings."

Widow nodded. "Oui. It's not that I can't it's just... it's just..."

Moments later, Widow stood up and moved a few steps away from the table.

"Pour l'amour de Dieu. Pourquoi est-ce si difficile?" Widow took another breath, as Sombra stood and placed a reassuring hand on her arm. "I've... I've not been in any sort of relationship for years, or had any sort of feelings romantically..."

"That doesn't matter Amelie. Feelings aren't black and white they're... complicated..."

Widow hesitated once again, before she slowly turned around to face Sombra. However, she was still unable to speak. That was, until Sombra placed a hand on the left side of her face.

"I know, Amelie..."

Those three words told Widow all she needed to know.

Sombra knew how she felt.

"Olivia, you have helped me through so much. You helped me escape Talon and helped me move on with my life... I couldn't ask for a better friend but I can't deny it or keep it a secret anymore... The truth is that you make me feel alive Olivia... More alive than I've felt for years now."

Widow looked away from the hacker, believing she knew where this was heading.

"I know this will be a surprise and I wouldn't blame you if..."

Widow was silenced by a finger that was placed on her lips. She gently moved her head back to face Sombra and then there was a few seconds of silence, which Widow thought could have been hours. Finally, after an agonising wait, Sombra spoke.

"Just shut up and kiss me."

Slowly, the two leaned in and closed their eyes, before their lips met in a tender kiss. Widow raised a hand to cup Sombra's cheek as the kiss was followed by another, then one more before the two broke apart. The two just stood, looking at one another before they both smiled.

"So... What now?" Widow asked, not sure what to do next.

Sombra thought for a second. "Remember when you asked me out for a drink? Are you still up for that?"

"I'd love to."

"Great. How about tomorrow evening? We can wear those dresses we bought and just have an evening to ourselves." Sombra suggested.

Widow smiled again. "Sounds perfect."

They leaned in and kissed again, separating a few moments later. Since neither had anything else planned, they decided to just stay where they were, sitting themselves down on Sombra's bed and cuddling while they watched a film she'd downloaded onto her computer. When they were about half way through, Athena suddenly spoke up.

"Sorry for the interruption but I wished to inform you of a disco night being held for the agents later today. I was wondering if you'd be interested in attending?"

The two women looked at each other, wondering what the other was thinking.

"Sounds like fun." Sombra said. "We haven't really let our hair down for a while now, so it'll be a good chance to do so."

Widow nodded in agreement, considering that the disco night was something to do with Emily. "Yeah, we'll be there."

"Excellent." Athena replied. "I will inform you when everything is ready, though please do not inform Tracer about this if you see her. It is intended to be a surprise for her."


	33. A Critical Choice

**A Critical Choice**

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Command Centre

The command centre was as busy as ever. Several computers were being operated by personnel and papers were ran between stations, which had information about the base, as well as any intel that anyone found out.

Morrison glanced over to a screen on his right, which was currently tuned into a news channel and analysed the image. After a few moments, he shook his head, turning back to watch the rest of the room.

Morrison had lost count of how many times he'd repeated this process. The future of the Petras Act would be decoded today yet the UN seemed to be taking their time coming to a conclusion. They'd been in session now for hours now and still had yet to take a vote. Morrison was beginning to think that they were doing it on purpose, delaying it for as long as possible. Despite this delay, he knew that they'd been voting soon. After all, they could only put it off for so long.

"Relax Jack." Ana said, noticing him glance towards the screen. "They'll vote when they're ready."

Morrison sighed. "They seem to be taking their time doing it. I'm starting to wonder if they're just doing it to taunt me."

Ana chuckled. "Well, that's certainly possible."

The two went silent for a moment, watching the rest of the Overwatch personnel as they operated the command centre. Eventually, after a short moment, Ana broke the easy silence, sensing that something was bugging Morrison.

"What's wrong Jack?"

"Who says there's something wrong?"

"Jack, we've been friends for a long time now. I know when there's something on your mind."

Morrison stopped and considered his reply for a second, before answering. "I'm trying to get my head around everything and two major questions are bugging me. The first one is Talon. They want the Petras Act revoked but what then? What's their endgame after that?"

Ana could only shrug. "I'm guessing we don't have any intel that will help answer that?"

"No. There's nothing we can find that even comes close to helping us there. Then there's Reyes. He's no longer with Talon and they're clearly not on good terms. So what's he planning? What's his next move?"

"I'm guessing we have no intel on him either?"

"There's even less than what we have on Talon. Reyes has gone completely off the grid... and all that does is worry me."

Before Morrison or Ana could continue their conversation, one of the techs in the lab shouted out to Morrison.

"Commander, there's something you need to see."

Morrison quickly walked over, leaning down so that he could see the screen the tech was sat infront of.

"What is it?"

"We just got sent a data package, though I can't work out who from."

Morrison looked at the unknown files currently on the screen. "Athena. Have anything to say?"

"I can confirm that these files do not contain any malware." The AI replied. "However, I am unable to determine the soure of them."

Morrison sighed, before motioning to the tech. "Guess we have to open it then."

The tech clicked on the files, attempting to open them. However, they were met with the sight of a box, asking for a specific password for something he'd never even heard of.

"Um... sorry sir, I have no idea what this is."

"I do. Everyone look away for a second."

The techs all turned their heads and Morrison typed a code into the computer. The password was in fact an old identification code for the position of Strike Commander, that only Morrison knew. Once the code was entered, several files were suddenly revealed, along with two videos. One was addressed to Lena "Tracer" Oxton, while the other was addressed to Morrison himself.

When Morrison clicked on the video addressed to himself, he was greeted with an black screen. However, a few seconds later a woman with a British accent began speaking.

"Commander Morrison. We have discovered a number of suspicious transactions where money has been transferred between multiple accounts. We believe that these accounts are owned by Talon and are being used for various different reasons. However, the accounts are based in several different countries and we don't know who we can trust. Therefore, I have been authorised to pass this information onto you. Use it well."

The video ended, with a number of the techs wondering who had sent the message. Morrison on the other hand turned and faced Ana.

"Well. That's interesting." Ana said.

"British accent, the secrecy surrounding the file and she was authorised to pass it on. No doubt about it, that was British intelligence."

The room fell silent as Morrison looked over the information that had been provided. After a quick glance, he realised that this was far more complicated than it first appeared.

"Athena, pass on the video to Lena when you consider it the right time and then see if you can make any sense of this."

"Yes commander."

"Everyone else, keep up the good work."

The video to Lena disappeared first, Athena saving it elsewhere until the time was right. Then the rest of the files vanished from the computer, reappearing on the holographic table in the commander centre. Athena then went to work deciphering what it all meant, something she was quite capable of doing even when she was running the rest of the base.

Two hours later

A few hours after they'd left, Lena and Emily were walking back into the base, arms once again locked together. Lena hadn't wanted anything too large for lunch, so the two walked to a small sandwich shop, one which Lena knew sold excellent food and bought one for each of them. They then found a nearby park and sat on a bench, enjoying the sounds of the birds as they ate their lunch.

It had been a while since Lena had been able to spend time with Emily and not have to worry about Overwatch. Ever since the original recall, she'd been spending more and more time away from home and sometimes she wondered what her life would be like if she wasn't an agent. Emily was extremely understanding and Lena couldn't be more grateful. Yet Lena couldn't help but think about how their relationship would be if she'd never had her accident.

Despite everything, Lena wouldn't change anything for the world. The world needed heroes and she knew how important a role she was playing in the fight agaisnt Talon. She also had the most amazing girlfriend in the world and someone who had stayed by her side even after everything they'd been through.

This was something else Lena had been recently thinking about. Emily was so understanding, so supportive and where anyone else would have likely ran, she'd stuck next to her after all she'd been through. Emily meant the world to Lena. She was the reason that Lena kept going, the reason she had to fight. She completed her.

Lena couldn't help but smile at her thoughts, as she cuddled closer to Emily, the two now approaching the building Lena's quarters were in.

"Thanks for today Em. It was nice to have some me and you time."

"Yeah, it was..." Emily drifted off and it was clear to Lena that she was thinking about something herself.

"What's up luv?"

The two stopped walking and Emily took a moment before answering.

"Okay, don't bite my head off when I say this... I've been thinking over this for a few days now and I've come to a decision... I want to join Overwatch."

Lena was very surprised by this. She opening her mouth to say something, only to close it moments later. After another pause, she managed to reply. "What do you mean by join Overwatch?"

"I don't mean fighting, I don't think I'd be very useful there." Emily clarified, seeing Lena relax slightly as she said this. "I've seen first hand what Talon are capable of, how far they're willing to go and I can't just stand by at the sidelines anymore. I think I could really help here. Even if it's just helping Winston or Angela out, I'd be doing something good."

Lena stopped to think over this. She could see where Emily was coming from. After all, she couldn't exactly just return home to her normal life. Yet she wanted her to be sure about this.

"It's a funny life at Overwatch and it's not like anything you've experienced before." Lena said, taking Emily's hands as she spoke. "That's why I never asked you. I didn't want to put that burden on you... So I want you to be one hundred percent sure about this."

"I am sure Lena. I want to be by your side, helping to make the world a better place... and I want to be there for you."

Lena went silent again, before she nodded her head. "Okay. If you're sure this is what you want, then I'll support you all the way."

The two hugged and Lena kissed Emily's cheek.

"So, how about we go back to my room? We could watch some tv, maybe a film?"

Before Emily could answer, she received a text. She pulled out her phone and saw that the message was from Winston, informing her that Lena's surprise was ready.

"Actually, I have one more thing to show you."

"Show me? Have you been up to something?"

"Maybe... but you have to close your eyes."

Lena complied, closing her eyes before she giggled, as Emily placed her hands over her closed eyes.

"Hey, they're closed." Lena playfully said, feeling Emily lean in closer to her ear.

"I know. I just don't trust that they'll stay closed."

Lena giggled again. "You know me too well. Lead the way then."

Emily began to gently lead Lena towards her surprise, having a basic idea where she was going. Thankfully, Athena had noticed the two were on their way and informed Winston, who came and helped her the rest of the way. Eventually, they reached the lounge and Emily removed her hands.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now."

When Lena did so, she was greeted with the sight of a DJ table, with Lucio standing behind it, running a few songs through his headphones. There were a number of speakers and a few disco lights dotted around the room. She also saw Winston, who walked over to speak to Lucio briefly, before turning and smiling at Lena. Not quite understanding what was going on, Lena turned to Emily.

"So, remember when we started dating, we went to that nightclub in London?"

"Yeah, the one that played music from the 80's and 90's?"

"That's the one. Well, I wanted to do something for you to help take your mind off everything. So I thought about recreating that date here, inviting a few of the others to join and just let our hair down. I know it might be a little cheesy..."

"No... no it doesn't. I really love it Em." Lena said, hugging Emily with a large smile across her face. "You really did all this for me?"

"Well, I came up with the idea. It was these two who put it together."

At this point, Lucio took off his headphones. "Let me correct you there. She came up with the idea, I put all of this together. He just supervised." He said, pointing towards Winston.

Winston pretended to look offended and Lena chuckled at the two as they joked around. "Yeah, of course he did Lucio. Totally believe you. So, when's the disco start?"

"I'm ready to go whenever." Lucio replied. "Just say the word."

"Well, how about we start in half an hours time?" Lena suggested. "It'll give everyone chance to finish what they're doing."

"That's cool. It gives me chance to go grab something to eat beforehand."

Outside Winston's lab- Ten minutes later

Hanzo stood overlooking the cliff, watching the ocean as it gently moved. Nearby sat Zenyatta, who was deep in meditation. Hanzo decided to leave the monk alone, wanting some quiet himself as he thought.

When he first agreed to help Genji, he did so to help him find and rescue Mercy. A lot had happened since then and Hanzo has been thinking about where he stood in this conflict. He'd made it clear to Talon that he wasn't going to join them but now he had to decide if he was really a part of this fight.

As he continued to watch the ocean, Genji walked up and stopped next to him.

"I suspect there is something you wish to talk about." Genji said, guessing that the reason his brother was here was because he was deep in thought.

"Indeed there is. Since I have made it clear to Talon I will not work with them, I have been considering my place here at Overwatch."

"I see." Genji knew Hanzo had only agreed to help find Angela and had been clear that he would decide whether or not he would stay. Since Hanzo had stayed and fought with them in Numbani, Genji had considered he was intending to stay. However, he could not be certain.

Hanzo took a pause, admiring the scenery for a short time before he continued.

"I have been thinking over what you said when you came to me for help and I have come to realise the truth in your words. Our family had indeed lost its way and you did what you thought was best. There is no changing that now. Perhaps there was a time where I would have taken Talon up on their offer to restore our family's name to its former reputation... Now, I do not believe I would."

Genji didn't respond, staying silent and simply nodding his head before Hanzo continued.

"You were also correct when you said the world is changing and that it will not wait for me to be ready to act. You have decided to walk down the path before you... It is time that I do the same."

Hanzo turned to face Genji, extending out his hand. "I will stay and fight with you. It is the right thing to do."

Genji shook the hand, smiling under his mask. "I am glad to hear that brother."

As the two shook hands, Zenyatta briefly looked up, nodding his head in approval before returning to his meditation. It was a motion that didn't go unnoticed by Genji, yet he decided not to comment on it, instead continuing to speak to Hanzo.

"Now that you've decided that you're staying, Perhaps you would be interested in a party? Athena has informed me that one is taking place soon and it would be a good opportunity to get to know the other agents better."

Hanzo thought over the proposal. "I do not know if a party is my sort of thing. I consider it is more you're style... but I agree I should get to know the others better."

"I'm glad to hear that. How about you master? Will you be joining us?"

Zenyatta looked up from his meditation once again, this time floating up from his sitting position. "I believe I will. Perhaps it will help me learn the appeal behind such events."

Twenty five minutes later

The party had already started when Widow and Sombra arrived, the two deciding not to be too early. They'd also made an agreement not to outright say about their relationship, at least not tonight anyway. The party was meant to be for Lena, so Widow didn't want to become the centre of attention. That didn't mean they couldn't drop hints however.

From outside the lounge, it was impossible to tell there was a party even happening, thanks to the advanced soundproofing in the walls. It was one of the few upgrades Winston had decided to put into the base, suspecting the agents would need a place to blow off some steam after difficult missions.

When they stepped inside, it was a completely different story. The room was full of agents, with only Morrison and Ana missing, both busy in the command centre. Even the Bastion was present, sat near the back of the room, observing as the party unfolded.

The room itself definitely looked the part too. The lights had been dimmed so that the disco lights were more prominent and next to the lights was Lucio, who was standing behind his DJ table, currently playing Blue Monday by New Order. In the middle of the room were Lena, Emily, Angela, Fareeha, Hana and Genji, all of which were dancing along to the music. At one edge of the room, Hanzo leaned against the wall, chuckling to himself as he watched Genji dance at a surprising speed. Next to him was Zen, who was nodding his head to the beat.

At the back of the room was a large wooden bar, which was surprisingly void of alcohol. Widow guessed this was due to Morrison. After all, having nearly every agent hungover the next day might not exactly be a good idea. At the bar stood McCree, acting as the bartender, along with Reinhardt, Winston and Zarya. Torb, Brigitte and Baptiste were also part of this group but were sat on bar stools instead.

Shortly after Widow and Sombra had entered, Lena spotted them and waved, before she returned to dancing, clearly enjoying the party. Instead of joining in, something Sombra said she intended to do, the two walked over to the bar, leaning against it as McCree walked over.

"Evening ladies. What can I get you? We have anything you want, so long as it doesn't contain alcohol."

"Morrison?" Widow asked.

"Yep. Can't say I argue with his logic though."

Sombra rolled her eyes, gaining a laugh from the nearby group, before she asked for a lemonade, Widow asking for the same. The two then turned and watched the other group dance, as Genji took over the dance floor. Everyone stopped and watched the ninja, a few cheering as he got carried away.

"We get it brother, you can dance. Please stop showing off." Hanzo said, causing a laugh throughout the room. Genji stopped and raised his arms at Hanzo, clearly joking around himself, before the group began dancing again.

As the party went on, the rest of the Meka pilots arrived, as well as a couple of crusaders. The crusaders didn't stay long, speaking briefly with Reinhardt before leaving again, not wanting to intrude. Hana meanwhile waved the group of pilots over to her, introducing them to the other agents they'd yet to meet.

As they approached, Lena stopped dancing, knowing that this could be a potentially awkward moment. She didn't object to the pilots being at the party and had actually been the one who suggested Hana invited them, saying they needed to feel like part of the team. However, she'd yet to speak to Yuna since the incident back at the Meka base and had yet to clear the air.

"Hey, Yuna right?" Lena asked, gaining a nod from her as Hana began to introduce the agents to the pilots. "About what happened before... I'm so sorry that was how we met. I hated every second of it but I had no other choice at the time."

Before she could continue, Yuna spoke up.

"Don't worry about it. I understand why you acted the way you did. Honestly, I would have done exactly the same thing."

Lena gently raised her arms, offering a hug. The Meka pilot accepted and the two quickly were smiling again, any tension between them evaporating. After their introductions, the Meka pilots split up, some walking over to the bar and finding something to drink, while the others stayed with the rest of the group, dancing as a new song began playing.

The music changed another two times, with Winston moving to the dance floor after some encouragement from Lena. He couldn't help but begin dancing, surprising some agents with how well he could dance. Eventually, Lucio changed tracks once more and Lena stopped upon hearing what it was, turning towards Emily with a large grin.

It was Stayin' Alive by Bee Gees. This particular song had been played at their original date and Emily knew she had to have it play again this time. Once she saw her grin, Emily stepped in front of lena and she placed her arms on her waist.

"Ready?" Lena asked.

"Do you even have to ask?"

The two began moving with the music, Lena taking the lead and guiding Emily along with her. She soon reached for Emily's hand and she spun herself around, before spinning back the other way.

At this point, the two had gained an audience, with the group of dancers giving them some space. The group at the bar also turned to watch, McCree informing them something was happening with a "look at them two go." The two lovers didn't mind this one bit, the exact same thing happening during their original date.

As the two continued dancing, Emily spun once more before the two changed what they were doing. They started with a few moves that they'd picked up from an old film they once saw, Saturday Night Fever, which gained a cheer from the agents. However, they weren't done yet. As the track continued, they began to do the Charleston.

The room were stunned into silence for a second, before the cheers returned, this time louder than before. The room was amazed by them. Firstly, most of the agents had seen Lena dance this before but had no idea Emily could dance it too. However, the two were in perfect sync, not only with each other but with the music too. It fitted extremely well and everyone loved it.

As the track neared the end, the two stopped the. Charleston and Emily spun herself back to Lena, the two facing each other as they danced. The rest of the room soon faded into the background, as both Lena and Emily focused on each other. Right now, there was no one else but them, together in this moment.

They both stopped dancing and slowly leaned in for a long kiss. The rest of the agents all cheered louder than before, yet neither of them ever heard it, lost in the moment.

When they finally returned to reality, they found themselves the centre of attention, with every agent in the room applauding them. The two couldn't help but smile and Emily felt herself blush ever so slightly. A few seconds later, they both took a bow, as the applause began to die down.

"Nice moves you two." Reinhardt said, raising his drink as he spoke.

"Thank you Reinhardt." Lena replied, Lucio keeping the music off for a moment so she could speak. "Before we continue, I'd like to say thanks. Not only to Winston and Lucio for helping set this all up, but to everyone for coming tonight. It's nice for all of us to just spend time together as a team."

"You know we'd be hard pressed to miss any party." McCree stated, gaining another cheer from Reinhardt and a laugh throughout the room.

"Can't argue with you there McCree. Now, if you all don't mind, I'd like to have a drink with my amazing girlfriend, so Lucio... you know what to do."

There were a couple of aww's before Lucio spun a green record in his hand and almost slammed in back onto his decks.

"Yeah, let's drop the beat!"

The music restarted and the dance floor came back to life. Lena noticed Angela and Fareeha had begun dancing together, the blonde's arms around the others waist. She giggled at the sight, glad that the two were finally together. After all, it took them long enough. Winston also decided to take a break, walking over to the bar and standing next to Lena and Emily, while Brigitte took his place on the dance floor.

Moments later, they had a drink in front of them, McCree waisting no time pouring what they asked for. Shortly after, Lena turned to Winston.

"Hey big guy. Got a sec?"

"Of course Lena. What's up?"

At this point, Emily had moved next to Lena and wrapped her arm around her, knowing what Lena was going to ask.

"So I'm going to get straight to the point. Em's been thinking things over recently and she's decided she wants to join Overwatch."

Winston was taken back for a second, not expecting Emily to agree to that.

"Are you sure Emily?"

"I'm positive." She replied. "I'll admit I'm no fighter but I can't just stand back and do nothing anymore. Even if it's just helping you around your lab, I'll be doing something good."

Winston stopped to think it over. "I'm sure I could find something for you to do... but even then, you'd have to be trained to defend yourself, in case we're ever attacked."

"I can do that." Lena quickly said. "And I'm sure some of the others will help."

"I will gladly help out." Widow stated, gaining a smile from both Lena and Emily.

"So will I." McCree added, overhearing the conversation. "Hell, Emily's practically one of us. We'd all be more than willing to help."

Winston looked towards the rest of the group at the bar, seeing Reinhardt and Torb nodding in agreement. From the look on her face, Zarya didn't seem too sold on the idea and Baptisite couldn't really comment, being a new addition to the team.

"Alright then." Winston finally replied, admitting defeat. "If you're absolutely sure that this is what you want Emily, then I'll speak with Morrison. I can't promise you he'll agree but considering everything that's happened, I think he will."

"Thank you Winston." Emily said, smiling at the gorilla before taking a sip of her drink.

"One more thing." Lena quickly added. "We have some stuff at our apartment that I'd like to be able to go and get. Any chance that could be arranged?"

Winston was able to give an answer to this much quicker than his previous one.

"That should be possible. We've been monitoring the area and keeping an eye on your apartment. Thankfully, there's been no sighting of suspicious activity and your apartment appears to be clean. I'll run it by Morrison but as long as the situation doesn't change, we might be able to put a team together tomorrow."

"If you can, that'll be great. Thanks big guy."

Lena moved forward and hugged the gorilla, which in turn made him smile. "Happy to help. Now, do me one thing Lena. Forget about Overwatch for tonight and enjoy the party."

Lena gave Winston one of her famous salutes. "Aye aye."

In return, Winston rolled his eyes, gaining a giggle from Lena, before he headed back to the dance floor, being called over by Lucio to join the rest of the dancers. Lena then turned back to her drink, picking up her glass and tapping it against Emily's.

"Cheers."

"You know, those were some pretty good moves." Sombra said, after they took a swig of their drinks. "You two make quite the pair."

"Thanks Sombra." Lena replied, taking another sip of her drink before continuing. "You two planning on getting on the dance floor later?"

"I'm planning to. I'm not sure about Amelie though."

"I was certainly considering it." Widow said, taking a sip from her own drink far more elegantly than she needed to. "I think I just need a good dance partner."

"How about Sombra then?" Emily suggested, joining the conversation.

"It is an option." Widow replied, taking another sip of her drink. "I'm just not sure if she could keep up with me."

Sombra turned to face Widow, taking note of her seductive tone of voice. "I'm pretty sure I could. Question is, could you keep up with me? After all, you were a ballet dancer. Perhaps this isn't your type of dancing."

Widow simply smirked in return."I'm sure I could pick it up."

"In which case, care to dance?"

"I'd be delighted."

The two leaned up from the counter and began heading over to the dance floor. As they left, Lena watched with a raised eyebrow, before turning back towards the bar. She'd picked up on the flirtatious tone between the two of them and it didn't take along for her to put the pieces together.

"So, do you think Amelie spoke to her?" Emily asked, making sure she wasn't overheard.

"Yep, I'm pretty sure she did."

Talon facility- Unknown location

Doomfist was currently walking through the Talon facility, heading towards Moira's current location. Ever since Reaper had gone rogue, the mood at Talon had changed. Overwatch were a threat, yet they were nothing compared to Reaper. He had knowledge of Talon bases, operations, tactics and would likely make it his mission to make life a living hell for them.

Even though this very base was one of the few Reaper didn't know about, It was only a matter of time before he found out the location of it. Not that this concerned Doomfist though. Reaper's betrayal was a problem and it needed to be dealt with, yet Doomfist was confident that Sigma, along with Junkrat, Roadhog and some of his best soldiers would be able to take him by surprise and kill him once and for all.

After a long walk through the facility, Doomfist arrived at the chamber Moira was currently using. This base had been designed for the creation of experimental weapons, equipment and anything else Talon considered it needed. So Moira was more than happy to use it to continue her work into the nanotech.

Once the door to the chamber opened, Doomfist was greeted with the sight of Moira, with a glowing dark red orb floating in the palm of her hand. Upon closer inspection, he could see that it wasn't an orb as such but a swarm of small nanobots. Around the chamber were a number of tables, each with a corpse on them. The one Moira was standing next to had a familiar face lying on it. Mei.

"I see you've made progress."

"Quite a lot actually. In fact, I do believe I've almost perfected it."

Doomfist was pleasantly surprised by this revelation. However, since Moira was currently working on two major projects for Talon, he wasn't too sure which this one actually was.

"Forgive my ignorance but which project is this? The resurrection tech or the other one?"

"The other one. While I've made progress with the resurrection tech, it will take much longer before it is even functioning correctly." Moira replied, a hint of frustration in her voice.

"I have faith you will crack it. Now, perhaps you could show me the progress you've made with this project."

Moira smirked and had Mei still been alive, it would have sent chills down her spine. Moira motioned for Doomfist to follow her, leading him to a small room at the side of the room. The door had a glass panel at the top, allowing Doomfist to see inside the cell like room. When he saw inside, Doomfist knew this was game changing.

"You said you've almost perfected this?"

"I still have a few issues to sort out and I will have to replicate the nanobots before this can be used in the field. That will take time and resources."

"Then you will have them. Three of our best agents betrayed us and Talon has suffered a number of defeats lately. This however shifts the balance of power back into our favour. Overwatch and the world will have no choice but to adapt to this new threat."

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Command Centre- Two hours later

The Command Centre was more or less empty now, with only a few key personnel remaining. Morrison was now sitting at one of the screens, waiting for an update regarding the UN decision. At this point, the vote had been made but for security reasons, it was held in secret. Now the world had to wait for the outcome to be resleased to the public.

Ana had lost count how many times Morrison had checked a news site for any updates and as he went to do it again, she walked over and slapped his hand away from the keyboard.

"If you try to look up the result one more time, I'm going to tie your hands together and then drag you down to that party everyone else is at."

Morrison knew Ana wasn't serious about tying his hands together, yet he knew she probably would drag him down to that party. Although he normally wouldn't mind, he wouldn't be able to relax properly until he knew the decision. So, he gently pushed his chair away from the screen and turned to face Ana.

"I'm surprised you're not down there yourself."

"Well, I considered you'd be stressing out over the Petras Act decision and that someone needed to keep you sane. Seems I was completely right."

Morrison chuckled, as Ana pulled over a chair and sat herself down. "Yeah, maybe I am a little on edge."

"That's putting it lightly."

"I haven't asked but how are things between you and Fareeha?" Morrison asked, changing the topic.

"Things are better between us. I thought it would be more difficult to get her to even talk to me, let alone forgive me. Yet, after all the time I spent away from her, she wants to get to know me again. It's good to be able to make amends and spend some time with her."

"I have to ask... her father... I have Overwatch watching him but... what does he know?"

"He knows Fareeha is okay."

"What about you? Does he even know you're alive?"

Morrison noticed Ana look down towards the ground slightly, though he couldn't tell if this was out of shame or regret.

"No. Unless Fareeha has told him and I'm pretty sure she hasn't, Sam doesn't know. I don't know if I'll tell him though. He's likely moved on and I don't want him involved in all of this."

"Fareeha didn't move on." Morrison pointed out. "She kept looking for you, even when everyone else said you were dead."

"That's true I suppose... Perhaps when all of this is over, I'll contact him and tell him the truth. Until then, it's better if he stays in the dark."

Morrison nodded. "I can understand that. Though if you want my advice, don't wait too long... I made that mistake before."

"Excuse me, Commander." Athena said, just as Morrison finished. "There has been a development regarding the UN decision."

"Put it on the screen Athena." Morrison replied, moving back to the computer he was just at. On the screen were a number of news stories, all reporting on the same issue. Morrison stayed silent, as he read the headlines again, making sure he hadn't misread them.

Ana saw how Morrison froze up and had to walk over. Unlike Morrison though, she only had to read one headline for the message to sink in.

 _BREAKING NEWS: UN votes to revoke Petras Act._

"Do we tell them?" Ana eventually asked, unsure how to proceed.

"No, not tonight." Morrison replied. "Let them enjoy that party, they need it. Besides, we don't need to tell them. They'll find out one way or another."


	34. A Night To Remember

**A Night To Remember**

Watchpoint Gibraltar- The next morning

"No, absolutely not."

Winston was currently in the command centre, trying to convince both Morrison and Ana that Emily should be allowed to join Overwatch. So far, he hadn't made much progress. Morrison had no problem with Emily staying at the base for protection, yet joining Overwatch was a completely different matter. Ana on the other hand appeared to be more open to the idea, or at least that was what Winston hoped, since she'd remained unusually quiet during the conversation.

"Jack, we need all the help we can get..."

"I know that Winston and frankly I can understand why she wants to join. However, she has no combat training and, unlike everyone else here, hasn't experienced any sort of military life."

"Is Overwatch really military anymore? Even with the Petras Act gone, Overwatch works completely different now."

"That's besides the point. Emily is a civilian and has no background to life like this."

"To be honest Jack, she kinda does." Ana suddenly said, finally joining the conversation. This caused both Morrison and Winston to stop and turn to her.

"What do you mean?" Morrison asked her.

"She was thrown in at the deep end when she was captured by Talon and she had to adapt fast. You were there when we debriefed Amelie, she had to teach Emily how to use a pistol. The girl likely had never held a gun until then, let alone pulled the trigger and killed someone. To be in that situation and hold it together like she did take guts. Plus, she's in a relationship with Lena. She knows full well what she's getting into and she can't exactly just return to her old life. Not when Talon knows who she is."

Morrison let out a deep breath and leaned against the holotable, the same one he'd been staring at for days now. He had to admit that Ana made very good points. Despite this, he still wasn't convinced.

"She'll need to be trained and I don't mean like the rest of the rookies. She'll be starting from scratch, so she'll need basic self defence and combat training. Then she needs to be assigned a role she'll be comfortable with."

"We can train her Morrison." Winston replied. "There's more than enough agents that will help out. As for where she can be assigned, she could help me in the lab, or assist Angela if she needs any more help."

For a moment, Morrison remained silent, weighing up the pros and cons of this idea. It was only when Ana spoke up that he made a decision.

"What if I oversee her training? Will that help put your mind at rest Jack?"

Morrison sighed, finally giving in. "Fine. As long as Ana oversees her training, then she can join."

"Thank you Jack."

Morrison now leaned up from the holotable and looked back over to Winston. "Do I dare ask if there's anything else?"

"Actually, there is. Lena would like to go to her apartment in King's Row and collect some items for her and Emily."

"Of course she does." Morrison sarcastically replied, not at all surprised by this request. "What are our eyes on the ground reporting?"

"They say there's no sign of Talon activity and that police presence had been increased dramatically. So, if Talon tried anything, I suspect that there'll be an armed response in a matter of minutes. Add on the fact the Petras Act is gone and we won't be arrested the moment we arrive. They also say that it appears tensions between the Omnics and Humans have improved."

"Now that's a welcome surprise."

"I guess being constantly attacked by Talon has brought people together." Ana added, before Morrison continued.

"If eyes on the ground are saying it's clear, then I don't see a problem with it. However, Angela hasn't cleared her for active duty, so I don't want her going alone. So ask Angela and someone else, McCree maybe, to go with her... and tell them to try and blend in."

Widowmaker's quarters- Later that morning

Despite there being a party the night before, the agents still had to wake up as normal, ready to move out if the order was given. For most agents this was somewhat annoying, wanting to sleep a little longer, yet they didn't complain. Widow on the other hand didn't mind one bit. Her conditioning meant she could go without sleep for longer than most, so a little less sleep was nothing to her.

So, she woke up at her usual time and showered almost immediately, once again turning the temperature of the water up. She'd been steadily increasing the temperature for a while now, working out how hot she could make it before it became uncomfortable and was pleasantly surprised to find it was much higher than she expected.

She stood in the shower for a while, enjoying the sensation of the hot water hitting her head, letting it run through her hair and down her body. It was only a small thing, yet to Widow, a hot shower meant a lot to her. It was a sign of her conditioning failing and more of her old self returning.

After a long shower, Widow turned off the flow of water and stepped out, finding a towel and drying herself off. She soon got herself dressed and then began to mess with her hair, tying it up just as she heard a knock at her door. She walked over and opened it, seeing Sombra on he other side.

"Hey Amelie."

"Bonjour." Widow replied, stepping aside and letting Sombra walk in. Once the door was closed, Sombra gave her a quick kiss.

"Surprised you weren't already up and about. You don't usually sleep in."

"I've been awake for a while now." Widow admitted. "I just had a long shower."

"Nothing wrong with that." Sombra replied, before changing the topic. "So, I wanted to ask about that drink tonight. Did you have anywhere specific you wanted to go?"

"Not really. I don't know the area too well."

"That's not a problem, I just wanted to check before I did anything. Are you okay with me making the arrangements?"

"Of course. I'm sure you've got something nice planned."

"I have something in mind. There's one condition though. When you get ready for tonight, don't put any makeup on. I want to see you in that dress you bought without any on."

Widow nodded. "I can do that. Does that mean I get to see you in that dress you bought?" Widow seductively asked.

"It might." Sombra flirtatiously replied, before the two kissed again. "So, do you want to grab some breakfast? Mess hall shouldn't be too busy right now."

"Sure. I wanted to stop by the armoury first and see if Torbjorn's finished repairing my outfit, if that's okay?"

"Yeah that's okay. Want some company?"

"I certainly wouldn't mind it."

With that, the two left Widow's quarters, making their way to the armoury. As they walked, the two once again agreed not to directly tell anyone about their relationship and instead allow the other agents to work it out for themselves.

"I'm fairly certain Lena already knows." Sombra joked, gaining a smile from Widow.

"I would be surprised if she didn't."

The two walked a little longer before they arrived at the armoury. As they stepped inside, Torbjorn was behind the counter, looking through a box of parts, while Brigitte was busy tinkering with her shield. The Bastion was also present, sat at the side of the room, next to the birdcage containing Ganymede. When it saw the two women approaching, it raised its hand and gently waved at them.

"Ah Amelie." Torb loudly said, moving the box of parts to one side. "I didn't expect to see you down here so early."

"I thought I'd come down and see if you finished repairing my combat outfit." Widow replied, leaning against the counter.

"You're in luck. I just put the final touches on it. Damage wasn't too major thankfully, only the one bullet hole, a bit of wear and tear and I've cleaned it up as well. It's hung up next to the Bastion if you want to take it."

Torb pointed over to his right, looking over to check if the Bastion was behaving. Instead, he saw Sombra playing with the Bastion. She'd found a small metal ball, that Torb knew was on the counter and had clearly decided to entertain herself.

She'd picked up the small object and walked over to the Bastion, showing it the ball before placing both her hands behind her back. She then showed it her two closed hands, letting it guess which one the ball was in. The Bastion poked her left hand and she opened it, revealing that the guess was correct. The Bastion made a happy bleep, before Sombra repeated the process, the Bastion once again guessing correctly. However, Sombra didn't repeat it a third time, stopping when she noticed that she'd gained an audience.

"What?" She asked, noticing the confused look from Torb and the chuckling from Brigitte, who'd been watching the entire time.

Torb simply raised his hands. "Whatever keeps the Bastion happy I guess."

Sombra passed the Bastion the ball, while Widow walked over and picked up her outfit. The two then began to head towards the door but were stopped by Torb, who called out as they nearned the door.

"Sombra, a word before you go."

The hacker stopped and walked backwards, placing her arm against the counter. "Si?"

"So, I've been watching this Bastion for a while now and I've been trying to work out what made it turn back on, let alone what's been making it act the way it has. I've noticed some... irregularities with its code and its programming, almost like it's been edited. Now, there's only one person I can think of that might be able to edit a Bastion's programming and she's standing right in front of me. So, be honest with me. Did you have anything to do with it?"

Sombra remained silent, turning to look at the Bastion and then to Widow, who had walked back to see what Torb wanted. After thinking for a moment, she sighed, knowing that she needed to tell the truth.

"Honestly... yes and no. Back when I was working with Talon, I was keeping an eye out for anything interesting and came across a strange signal. I wasn't on an assignment at the time so I looked into it. Turned out it was the Bastion. I managed to hack into it, which was a difficult task I might add and found out it's combat programming had been switched off. I had different priorities back then and I thought it might be useful to have a Bastion ready in case I needed it... So I made sure its original programming couldn't reactivate and then placed a back door in its systems."

Torb slowly nodded his head, though he didn't show any signs of approval or disapproval. "So, you didn't switch it back on then?"

"No. I have no idea what made it come back online. I was planning to look into it at some point... but I never got round to it."

Torb ran his hand through his beard, thinking over what he'd just been told. "At least that explains some of what happened. I'm no closer to working out what made it reactivate."

"I could help you look into it sometime if you want?" Sombra offered, genuinely curious herself.

"Worth a shot I suppose. I'll let you know when I next have a look at it."

Sombra nodded at Torb and then turned to leave the armoury. However, she hadn't even taken a step before she stopped again. Behind her stood Widow, who'd walked back into the room and had Ganymede on her one hand, using the other to gently stroke him. After a couple of moments, Ganymede took flight, landing back inside its cage.

Watching the scene unfold gave Sombra an idea.

"Maybe it was that bird." Sombra suggested, gaining an instant reaction from Torb.

"You can't be serious? You think the bird did it?"

"She might have a point papa." Brigitte said, after watching the scene herself. "Ganymede seems to like the Bastion. Maybe he caused it to reactivate."

"I find that very unlikely." Torb replied, dismissing the idea without a second thought, before returning to his work. Brigitte simply shrugged at the other two women, before they all went their separate ways.

Mess hall

While Widow and Sombra were in the armoury, Emily had found her way to the relatively empty mess hall and found herself something for breakfast. Lena had already left for King's Row, finding out that Morrison had agreed to let her return to her apartment shortly after waking up.

Lena had rushed off soon after, wanting to grab an early breakfast before she headed out with the team. So, after letting Lena shower and saying goodbye, Emily decided to take her time. She showered and got dressed, before heading to the mess hall for some food.

Now Emily was sat with an empty bowl in front of her and an equally empty table to accompany it. However, it didn't remain that way for long. Just before she went to stand up and leave, Reinhardt had walked in, heading over to her table and deciding to keep her company.

Lena had warned Emily that Reinhardt could talk for hours and soon found out that she wasn't joking. He asked her how she was and how she was settling in, before they somehow ended up talking about Lena's first mission. Not that Emily minded though. In fact, she was rather enjoying listening to Reinhardt retell his battle story.

"Wait." Emily said, after he'd finished his long tale. "That's How Lena came up with the cavalry's here?"

"Yep. Torb said it sarcastically before the mission and she decided to make it her catchphrase. The next mission she went on, Lena was a lot more confident. I was there blocking hits from the enemy with my barrier and then I hear, 'Cheers love, the cavalry's here!' Next thing I know, she blinked in and took out the entire enemy squad, while our troops just looked on in confusion."

Emily couldn't help but laugh. "I never knew that."

"I thought she would have told you."

"We weren't a couple back then, so I didn't really know much about her day to day life. The first I heard about it was when we met up with a few friends at the pub. She blinked into the pub and said that exact line. Course, we all loved it and it suited her. Loud and confident."

Reinhardt then let out a laugh. "I agree with you there. I can't imagine her not saying that line at least once in a fight."

The two laughed again, as a few more agents entered the mess hall. Hana and Lucio quickly joined the table, listening as Reinhardt began retelling another battle. Widow and Sombra were the next ones in, getting some food and then also joining the table, after Reinhardt waved them over. Fareeha was next, joining halfway through the story but still getting enough of the details to follow it. As the story drew to a close, Ana entered the mess hall and walked over, arriving just as Reinhardt finished.

"Have you been telling the kids stories again Reinhardt?"

"Do you need me to answer that?" Reinhardt replied, knowing full well Ana was joking. "Besides, everyone loves them."

"I suppose that's true." Ana said. chuckling as she sat herself down.

"Didn't expect to see you down here this early." Reinhardt said. "Considered you'd need to hold Morrison down after the news."

"I told him to get some sleep, otherwise I'd shoot him with a sleep dart to make him get some... Im guessing you've all heard then?"

"At this point, who hasn't heard?" Hana answered. "The news is literally plastered with talk of Overwatch."

"Is that why you came down here?" Reinhardt asked.

"Actually I wanted to speak with Emily."

Emily was somewhat surprised by this, yet she took it in her stride, turning to face the second in command. "Nothing bad I hope."

"No, nothing like that. To cut a long story short, Jack has agreed to let you join Overwatch..."

Ana wasn't able to say anything else before she was cut off by Reinhardt, who cheered at the news and patted Emily on her back. He soon stopped when Ana looked towards him, her stare telling him to quieten down.

"But, there is one condition. I'm to oversee your training and make sure you're capable of defending yourself. Is that okay?"

"Of course. Not everyday that you get trained by the Ana Amari... When do we start?"

Ana chuckled at the compliment. "We can start whenever you're ready."

"Okay... how about in a couple of days? I don't feel like just jumping straight in, if that makes sense."

"Whatever works for you. Just come and find me when you're ready." Ana now spoke to the rest of group. "There's one more thing. Winston said that some of you had agreed to help out if needed."

"Of course. Jesse's already said this but Emily's practically one of us. We'd all be willing to help out." Reinhardt replied, the rest of the agents nodding in agreement.

"That's good to know. However, I think it would be best if Amelie helped out initially." Ana said, turning towards Widow. "With what you reported after you two returned, I think you'd have a good idea where we need to start. Assuming that's okay with you?"

"It's no problem. In fact, I think it's a good idea. I'll be ready whenever Emily is."

Ana acknowledged her with a nod, before looking up at the clock hung up in the hall. "In that case, I'll better head back. Otherwise Jack might try to take on the whole of Talon by himself."

"Make sure he leaves some for the rest of us." Reinhardt added, Ana chuckling again before she took her leave, heading back to the command centre.

"I better be off too." Sombra announced, picking up her empty plate as she stood up. "I have a few things that I want to do."

"I'll see you later then." Widow said, waving once Sombra had placed her plate back in the kitchen and headed for the door. Once she'd left, Sombra opened her computer and began typing, beginning to put her planned surprise together.

London- King's Row

It was still early morning in the city of London. Despite this, the streets were full of people heading off to work. Several shops and cafes were already open, as well as a few bars, which already had a small amount of customers. The temperature was not very high and clouds floated above, so most people did their best to keep indoors.

Lena and Angela were currently walking through King's Row, heading towards Lena's apartment. McCree wasn't with them, having already gone ahead to meet up with the Overwatch forces that were watching the area. The two were currently out of their usual clothing, in order to blend in and not draw attention to themselves.

Angela was wearing a pair of blue jeans, along with a white top and a black jacket. Lena on the other hand was wearing a blue hoodie, in order to hide her accelerator, as well as a pair of multicolured leggings, which had a unique pattern on them that imitated streaks of paint. She had her hood up, both to help hide her identity, as well as keep herself warm.

As they continued to head towards their destination, Lena couldn't help but shiver slightly. "Uhh... I'll never get used to this."

"Get used to what?" Angela asked, puzzled by Lena's comment.

"Coming back home after being in Gibraltar for so long. It always takes me a day or two to get used to the different weather again." Lena explained, pulling on her hood slightly to make sure it was as far over her head as it could be.

"It could be worse." Angela replied. "You could live somewhere it snows all the time."

"I think I'd have moved by now if that was the case."

Angela chuckled at the comment, while Lena's gaze fell to her surroundings, watching the rest of the district while they walked. Winston had said that a few things had changed in King's Row.

Firstly, there was indeed an increased police presence, likely to help keep people calm as they moved around. The second thing that she noticed, to her the more important thing, was that the tension in the district had dramatically lowered. Humans and Omnics were interacting with each other, like everything wrong between them had been forgotten. It was a different feel for the area but it was definitely for the better. She just hoped that it would last.

After a long journey through the city, the two finally arrived at Lena's appartment. They did a subtle check of the area, confirming that no one was following or watching them, then headed for the front door. Lena had given Winston a spare key to her flat a while ago, just in case she lost hers or if Overwatch ever needed access when she wasn't around. Winston had given it to Lena, who in turn gave it to McCree, who they expected was inside already. When she knocked the door, she was glad to see that was the case.

McCree didn't say anything, preferring to keep their presence quiet and instead tipped his hat, before moving aside and letting lena and Angela inside. The appartment itself was much colder than normal, since no one had been living in it now for a while. The only source of heat was a cup of coffee, which Lena guessed McCree had made himself. This was confirmed moments later, when he stepped in front of them and picked it up.

"Hope you don't mind me making this."

"Nah, not a problem. It's just gonna go to waste otherwise."

"In that case, mind if I find something to eat? Wasn't able to get much this morning."

"If you make us a coffee then sure."

McCree didn't need to be told twice, placing his drink down and heading for the kitchen. "Two coffees comin straight up."

"I thought we had somebody watching this place?" Angela now asked, surprised that McCree was the only person here.

"We do. There's a group of them watching the area, making sure Talon ain't up to anything. I met a couple of them at the door and we checked over the place before you two arrived. We didn't find anything, so you're safe to get whatever you need."

Lena let out a sigh of relief, glad to know that Talon hadn't been through her and Emily's belongings. She gently removed the hood off her head and ran her hand through her hair, spiking it back up.

"So, what we here for then?" McCree asked from the kitchen, as the kettle began to boil.

"Whatever I could manage to take back really. Clothes are the main thing but since it's unlikely we'll be back for a while, there's some other things I want to pick up, like a few pictures and some personal things to us."

"Yeah, that's fair. You have anyway of getting it all back to base?"

"There's a couple suitcases and a few boxes around if I need them. I'll try not to take too much."

"Don't worry about it Lena." Angela said. "Take whatever you want."

"So long as it ain't the kitchen sink." McCree joked. "I ain't carrying that back to the dropship."

"Well I was considering it, but I don't think I have any room back at base." Lena replied, giggling as McCree rolled his eyes, before she walked into the bedroom. She quickly headed for a built in cupboard and opened it, pulling out two suitcases and unzipping them. She then reached for some of the clothing in the cupboard, separating them into her own and Emily's, before packing them into the cases.

"Need any help?" Angela asked, stepping into the room as Lena reached for another group of clothing.

"Yeah, a little bit. There's some pictures around the flat, could you pick them up and bring them to me?"

Lena wasn't the kind of person who decorated her house with loads of ornaments. Sure there were one or two but the more noticeable decorations were a few small, framed pictures dotted around the apartment. They were mostly of her and Emily, yet there were a couple that featured other people, such as Winston.

Angela didn't waste any time collecting them from around the apartment, stopping and looking at the last one she picked up. She'd been to Lena's flat before and so had seen most of the pictures, yet she never really paid them much mind. However, she couldn't remember ever seeing this one. It was a picture of Lena and Emily, with a beach of some kind behind them.

After studying the image for a moment, Angela walked back to Lena, who'd finished in the cupboard and had now began searching through a set of drawers.

"I don't think I've seen this one before." Angela said, after walking over and handing the pictures to Lena.

Lena took a quick glance at the picture in question, the story behind it quickly returning. "Oh, that's because it's a newer one. We had a couple weeks of good weather, so me and Em took a trip down to Cornwall for a few days. We took this shortly after we arrived and then spent the next day at that beach."

Lena paused, sitting herself down on her bed as she remembered the trip. She soon was lost to her thoughts, something McCree quickly noticed when he walked in, with two cups of coffee in hand.

"You alright Lena? You seem a bit distant."

"Huh? Oh yeah, fine..."

"You sure?"

Lena paused again, thinking once more before turning to Angela.

"Ang, can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can."

Lena went to talk but stopped again, before turning to McCree.

"Can we have a moment McCree? You know, girl talk."

McCree nodded, placing the two cups down and heading back towards the living room. "Sure thing. Just call if you need me."

Once the cowboy had left and the door was closed, Lena turned back to face Angela.

"Okay... I've been thinking something over for a while now and when I say a while, I mean a long while... It's about me and Em and our relationship... I thought I'd come to a decision but now I'm not too sure. After everything that's happened... I'm worried now might not be the right time... Emily means so much to me and I just want her to be happy..."

"Slow down Lena." Angela eventually said, interrupting Lena before she could ramble any further. "First things first, what's this decision you're talking about?"

Lena hesitated again, almost like she didn't want anyone else to overhear, despite the fact that they were alone and McCree was in the other room. Eventually, Lena leaned in and whispered into Angela's ear. It was only after Lena had finished and leaned back that Angela spoke up.

"I can see why you're so unsure about this."

Lena gave her a small chuckle in return. "Ang, what do I do? Honestly, I... I want to do it but I don't know if I should..."

Angela took ahold of Lena's hands. "Answer me this one question. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"I'm certain."

"Then listen to your heart. That will tell you want you should do."

Lena paused again and thought hard. After a long silence and much debate in her head, she finally nodded.

"Okay... I know what I'm gonna do. Thanks Ang."

"You're welcome."

Just before Angela stood up, Lena spoke up again.

"One more thing. Once I'm done packing, could we go do a couple things? I want to show my face at the pub, tell them lot me and Em are okay and there's something I want to get before we leave."

"Of course we can."

Watchpoint Gibraltar- Winston's lab- Six hours later

While Lena had been away from the base, Emily had decided to visit Winston in his lab and become more familiar with what she would be doing in her new role. Since she'd already shown interest, Winston was more than willing to let Emily help him around the lab and had spent the day familiarising her with the lab itself.

After pausing for lunch, Winston then returned to a small, side project he'd been doing. Since she didn't have anything else to do, Emily decided to stay and help him. The project in question was repairing a small robot, which she soon learned was called Snowball. It was already partially repaired and Winston considered that with the extra help, he could easily finish the project and have Snowball up and running again within a few hours.

So the two worked, Emily replacing the old, damaged outer panels and repairing what she could internally, while Winston did most of the heavy lifting, so to speak. He repaired the more critically damaged circuitry and managed to get the propulsion systems working again, allowing the small robot to fly around once more.

While they worked, Winston told Emily about Snowball, how he used to belong to Mei before she was killed and how the small robot was crushed by Doomfist. She'd already heard what had happened to Mei and so she understood why Winston wanted to repair Snowball. The small robot was her friend and it was what she would want.

After a few hours, the small robot was repaired and Winston had connected it up to his computer, typing away to restore its memory, charge its power cells back up and then reactivate it. During this process, Athena spoke up, keeping her voice low so not to make Winston jump.

"Winston, I thought you should know that Tracer, Mercy and McCree have just returned from London. They report that there were no complications while they were there."

"That's good to know." Winston said, as he began to disconnect the various cables attached to Snowball.

"Could you let Lena know where I am." Emily added, knowing that Lena would wonder where she was.

"I've already done so. She says she will be over in a few minutes."

While they waited for Lena to appear, Winston finished removing the last of the cables and closed up the panels on Snowball. He then pressed a single button on his computer, sending a signal to reactivate Snowball. Slowly, the small robot came back online, it's eyes activating first, before its propulsion systems switched on.

"Welcome back Snowball."

Once it was active, it looked around the room, clearly looking for someone, before it looked up to Winston, a worried look appearing as it did so.

"I'm sorry... Mei didn't make it."

The robot simply looked downwards, before a sad expression appeared. It then moved forward and flew up next to Winston, gently nudging itself next to him. The gorilla gently hugged the robot, before it flew back to the table, looking up at Emily with a confused look.

"This is Emily, Lena's girlfriend. She helped me repair you." Winston said, answering the small robots question.

Snowball's expression quickly changed to a happier look, flying up and flying around Emily, before cuddling up to her, showing its gratitude.

"Aww, you're welcome little guy."

"I think he likes you." Winston noted, as the small robot flew down to the computer and began reading the various lines of code, checking that everything was in order. As it did this, Lena blinked into the lab, slowing down as she approached the table. She'd changed her clothes before heading over to the lab, now wearing her normal outfit, with a new pair of orange leggings.

"Hey you two." She said, kissing Emily once she was close enough. "What you doing?"

Winston moved aside and Lena quickly saw Snowball, who turned around and put on another happy expression.

"Hey little guy. Nice to see you again." Lena then lowered her head. "I'm sorry about Mei..."

A sad expression returned to Snowball briefly, before it flew over to Lena and cuddled up to her. It then showed a heart to the group before turning around and flying back to the computer.

"He'll be alright." Winston gently said. "I'll keep an eye on him for a few days and make sure everything's functioning properly."

Emily smiled at Winston, before turning to Lena. "Did you get everything from the flat?"

"Yeah, it's in my room. Just needs unpacking."

At this point, Lena seemed to tense up, almost like she was nervous. Emily picked up on this instantly, wrapping an arm around her.

"Hey, what's up?"

Lena hesitated for a second. "Can we head outside? I want to talk to you, privately."

"Yeah, course we can."

Worry began to fill Emily, as the two headed for the door to the lab. Winston was also concerned, yet he didn't interfere, considering it was best to let the two women sort it out between them.

Once the two were outside, Lena scanned the area and noticed that the area above the cliff was currently unoccupied. The two slowly walked over, Lena smiling at the sound of the water hitting the rocks below, before gently holding Emily's hands.

"Okay..." Lena took a deep breath. "Em, I've been thinking about this for a long time now and I wasn't sure if now was the right time to do this... But after everything that's happened, I think it is. You've always been there by my side, always picked me back up when I needed it and I couldn't be more grateful. I love you Em. You're the reason I keep fighting and you're the person who keeps me going."

Lena paused to take another breath and Emily still wasn't sure what she was trying to say.

That was until she went down onto one knee and reached into her jacket, pulling out a small, black box. When Lena opened it, Emily was presented with a beautiful diamond ring, the same one she once told Lena about after a night out in King's Row.

"Emily. Will you marry me?"

Emily was completely gobsmaked and she felt tears beginning to form in her eyes. For her, there was only one answer.

"Yes! Yes, of course I will!"

Lena stood and the two kissed, hugging tightly as they both began crying tears of joy. They kissed again and Lena placed the ring on Emily's finger. Afterwards, the two simply stood still, enjoying the peaceful sounds of the ocean below them.

Eventually, the two managed to calm down, wiping their eyes and smiling at the other before they kissed once more. Once there was no evidence of any tears, the two headed back into the lab, where Winston was waiting.

"Everything okay you two?" He asked, concerned by their sudden disappearance a few minutes ago.

"More than okay Winston." Lena replied, before Emily held up her hand, showing him her ring.

"Wait... is that..?"

"Yes it is." Emily answered. "Lena just proposed and I said yes!"

Winston couldn't help but start grinning, while Snowball displayed an image of a firework going off.

"Congratulations. You two are a perfect match and I couldn't be happier for you."

"Thanks big guy." Lena said, the three sharing a group hug.

"So, are you going to tell everyone else?"

Lena looked to Emily, who smiled in agreement. "They'll find out soon enough. Might as well tell them."

"Okay then. Any chance you can call a meeting?" Lena asked Winston, who turned towards his computer.

"Athena?"

"I will ask the other agents to join you in the lab."

It didn't take too long for the rest of the agents to assemble in the lab, all wondering what Winston wanted to tell them. The only three people not present were Morrison and Ana, who were busy in the Command centre, along with Sombra, who was currently in town, preparing her surprise for Widow.

"So, what's this all about Winston?" McCree asked, lighting a cigar as the last few stragglers arrived.

"Yes, what is this important announcement?" Reinhardt added.

"Well, Lena and Emily have something they want to say."

Winston took a step to the side and everyone's eyes fell onto the two lovers.

"Nothin bad I hope." McCree said, as Lena cleared her throat.

"No, nothing bad. We just thought that you lot should know... Me and Emily are getting married!"

Emily showed the crowd her ring, which was followed by two things.

Firstly was McCree, commenting on the ring by saying. "Now that's a beauty."

The second was the crowd cheering, with Reinhardt being the most prominent.

"Haha! It's about time. You two are perfect for each other. This calls for a celebration!"

"Reinhardt, I'm fairly certain Morrison's watching the alcohol supply like a hawk." McCree said, taking yet another puff from his cigar.

"Only the supply he knows about." Reinhardt returned, raising a few eyebrows.

"Jack didn't impose an alcohol ban. He just doesn't want agents overindulging to the point they cannot fight." Angela clarified. "He won't mind us having one or two."

"In which case, TO THE BAR!"

There was another cheer from the agents, before the group began heading towards the common room. Even Winston decided to come along, waving over to Snowball, who flew over and began following as well. While they walked, Lena jogged over to Widow, speaking to her while they walked.

"Hey Amelie. Where's Sombra? Haven't seen her around since I got back."

"She's currently out in town I believe. She said she wanted to prepare a surprise for me."

"A surprise, huh..? Did you tell her?"

"I might have."

"And..?"

Widow simply smiled at Lena, telling her exactly what she wanted to know.

"Get in there Am's."

Widowmaker's quarters- A few hours later

After Lena and Emily's announcement, Widow had followed the group of agents to the common room, staying as they all had a few drinks to celebrate the occasion. After spending time getting to know both Lena and Emily, she could tell how close the two were and how much they meant to each other. Even though she hadn't known them as long as the other agents, Widow was still happy for the both of them.

After some time, Sombra finally reappeared, locating the group in the common room. After a quick word with Baptiste, she made her way over to Widow and sat with her, sharing a single drink before they both headed off to prepare for their night out. As she left, Widow looked back to Lena, seeing her wink at her, before returning to the celebrations in the common room.

Now Widow was in her room, in front of a mirror, tying up her hair as she finished getting ready. As she agreed earlier, Widow had yet to put on any makeup and only had what she'd put on earlier in the day.

She was currently wearing a black dress, the very one she'd bought when she was out with Sombra. It was a longer fit, which stopped above her knees and the back was open, so that her spider tattoo was visible. This wouldn't be a problem however, as Widow had become quite skilled in hiding her identity. She could easily cover it up and pretend it never even existed. Along with her dress, she had a pair of black, high healed shoes, a pair that had been recovered by Genji and Hanzo, along with the rest of her belongings.

As Widow finished tying up her hair, there was a gentle knock on the door. She took one last look in the mirror, satisfied with how she currently looked, before taking the few steps to the door and opening it. On the other side was Sombra, who was wearing the purple dress Widow picked out for her.

"Hey Amelie."

"Salut. Do come in."

As Sombra stepped inside, Widow got a much better view of her in the dress. The dress was smaller than hers and it complimented Sombra's build perfectly, curving with her body rather than sitting loosely. The purple also worked very well, matching with the purple in her hair.

"So, what do you think?" Sombra asked, spinning around slowly so Widow could see all the dress. The reply came a few seconds later.

"magnifique."

Sombra chuckled at the complement, finding herself blushing slightly. "Gracias. You look incredible as well."

"Merci beaucoup." Widow replied, spinning around herself to show off her own dress. "Now, give me a few minutes to put my make up on."

"Actually, before you do that, can you follow me? I want to show you something."

"Of course." Widow said, her curiosity getting the better of her. Sombra had been busy for most of the day, so she was wondering what she'd been doing. "Lead the way."

With that, the two left the private quarters, Widow following Sombra as they walked though the base, towards Winston's lab. It was starting to get late now and the sun was beginning to set. Despite this, most of the base was still operating as normal, with solders going about their business, many of which were left confused by the two agents walking through all dressed up. Nobody asked any questions though, far too used to the strange antics the other agents got up to.

It didn't take long for them to reach their destination, which was the cliff near to Winston's lab, a location that had already seen one major event unfold today. A small table had been set up, along with two chairs, which was overlooking the ocean. In the centre of the table was a vase, containing a bunch of flowers and a bottle of red wine, which was sitting in a bucket of ice to keep it cool, along with two wine glasses.

"What is this?" Widow asked, still not sure what Sombra was up to.

"So I know that every time you go out you have to put a lot of makeup on to hide your identity and I'm guessing you're not the biggest fan of it."

"Not exactly, but I've gotten used to it."

"Well, I wanted to do something where you didn't have to hide who you were. Where you could just enjoy being yourself without being judged... and to show you that I care about the real you, flaws and all..."

Widow was left speechless by this. It may have been very simple and small to many people but to her, it was a massive gesture. Sombra had seen past all her flaws, broken through the original walls she'd built up back at Talon and accepted Widow for who she was. That was something that meant the world to her.

"If you want, we can still go out into town..." Sombra began, only to be quickly interrupted by Widow.

"No. This... this is perfect. Thank you Olivia."

Widow gently pulled Sombra towards her and kissed her. It intiwlly took the hacker by surprise, yet she quickly relaxed again, melting into the kiss. Moments later, the two pulled away, remaining in close proximity as they looked into each other's eyes.

"You know, if someone sees us, it might start a rather interesting rumour." Sombra flirtatiously said, knowing full well that a group of soldiers, or even another agent, could walk around the corner at any time. Widow didn't seem to care however and smirked at the comment.

"Then we better give them something to talk about." She replied, equally flirtatious. The two kissed again, before they separated and Widow grabbed ahold of the bottle of wine.

She analysed the label, raising an eyebrow as she read the name. It was French, made in Bordeaux and it wasn't half bad. In fact, it was very good.

"Not bad. Someone clearly did their homework." Widow said, opening the bottle and filling the two glasses, before placing the bottle down on the table and passing the one glass to Sombra.

"I'm not that big of an expert when it comes to wine. To be honest, this was the first time I've actually bought any. I didn't want to get you any old thing though, so I did quite a bit of research and spent a while in the store before I settled on that one."

"Well, for a first time buyer, you did pretty good."

The two tapped their glasses together and took a sip, Widow humming and nodding her head in approval. The two remained together, watching as the sun set in front of them. After a few moments, they closed the gap between each other. Sombra wrapped an arm around Widow and leaned her head against her, a move Widow replicated a moment later.

Right now, this moment was perfect for Widow. She didn't have to hide her feelings anymore and she'd found someone who'd accepted her for who she was. Sombra had managed to reawaken feelings that Widow thought were lost to her and that she'd never experience again.

She'd never felt more alive than right now. For the first time since she'd been taken, Widow felt human.

"Thank you Olivia. For everything that you've done for me. For the first time in a long time now... I feel human again."

Sombra couldn't help but smile. "You're welcome... and thank you for trusting me too. It means a lot."

Widow gently kissed the top of Sombra's head and the two cuddled closer together, enjoying both the view in front of them and each other's company. It didn't matter if anyone else saw them. The only thing that mattered to them right now was each other.


End file.
